Ministers urged to step up fire ant eradication plan Coffs Coast Coffs Coast - popup ad Coffs Coast News by News Of The Area - Modern Media - July 7, 2023 Red imported fire ant raft. Photo by @stevenw1233 DECISION day for fire ants is July 13. That’s when Australia’s agriculture ministers will be meeting face-to-face and fire ants will be on the agenda. Advertise with News of The Area today. It’s worth it for your business. Message us. Phone us – (02) 4981 8882. Email us – media@newsofthearea.com.au The last eradication plan dates back to 2017 and two years ago was deemed too slow to be successful. “In August 2021 the National Red Imported Fire Ant Eradication Program Strategic Review determined that eradication will not be successful with the current plan or resource levels,” Reece Pianta, campaigner – red fire ants, from the Invasive Species Council told News Of The Area. “Without fire ant control efforts, we expect fire ants would arrive in the Coffs Harbour area by the end of the decade just on their natural spread and assuming they don’t arrive there sooner as stowaways in cargo,” he said. “Fire ant nests have been identified approximately 10km from the NSW border in the past month, showing they are moving south and posing a threat to NSW.” If fire ants breach containment into NSW they are likely to spread very quickly, primarily in freight and cargo, during flood events and potentially in feed during droughts. According to the Invasive Species Council, a fire ant future would cost Australians over $1.2 billion dollars every year, result in thousands of medical appointments from their stings, wipe out native wildlife and close parks, beaches, gardens and sporting fields. “We have recently written to the Federal, NSW and Qld governments calling for urgent action to stop the spread of fire ants and ramp up fire ant eradication efforts,” said Reece. The strategic review identified the most cost-effective option in response to fire ants as an increase in resources for fire ant eradication and a new approach to suppression in fire ant infestation zones. “This new strategy of containment, suppression and eradication is supported by 27 recommendations; however government leadership must set the strategy which underpins those recommendations,” he said. “We request that a clear statement of direction be provided at the July Agriculture Ministers meeting along with a funding boost to support continuing eradication efforts,” said Reece. See the petition at: https://invasives.org.au/how-to-help/take-action/save-australia-from-fire-ants/ By Andrea FERRARI Pustules resulting from fire ant stings. Photo by Murray S. Blum, The University of Georgia via Forestry Images. Without fire ant control efforts, the Invasive Species Council expects fire ants would arrive in the Coffs Harbour area by the end of the decade/early next decade.
