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A colony of invasive fire ants was discovered on a property in Tweed Heads, NSW, raising alarm for urgent measures to prevent their spread further south.
The state government yesterday confirmed the “immature” nest had been destroyed.
Their team also undertook a survey of the immediate 500 metres surrounding the site to check for any other fire ant activity.
“It is crucial for the Albanese government to act immediately, matching Queensland’s $24 million increase in suppression funds and fully supporting the ongoing eradication efforts.”
Pianta has warned that if fire ants move beyond the existing containment area, it could have a catastrophic impact on Australia’s agriculture and wildlife, and pose serious risks to public health.
“Fire ants are among the world’s worst invasive pests,” Pianta said.
It’s the size of a thumbtack and kills with a single touch
“Their aggressive stings can trigger severe allergic reactions in humans, and they pose a serious threat to pets, livestock, native animals, and infrastructure.”
The NSW Farmers Association is also calling for a crackdown, with biosecurity committee chair Tony Hegarty saying the repeated detections of fire ants in the state pointed to a colossal biosecurity failure.
“We’re rapidly losing the battle from one pest to another here in NSW, and the way we’re going, fire ants could well be the next threat our government fails to control,” he said.
“Current biosecurity measures clearly aren’t doing the job, and while we’ve got $100 million in new biosecurity funding, this one pest alone could cost us $60 billion over the next 30 years.”
