Image: Fire ants. Image: Magdalena Smyczek/Wikipedia Commons.
By ROBBIE MASON
Secret government documents, obtained by the Invasive Species Council, have revealed that New South Wales is at risk of an invasion from fire ants, an invasive pest, due to a $49 million funding shortfall. Budget issues have limited the eradication and surveillance of the destructive ant populations at a time when the pest is reportedly encroaching on the New South Wales border.
Three weeks ago, a nest of red fire ants was discovered in Queensland 5.5 kilometres from the New South Wales border, prompting calls for urgent action.
The budget reduction has resulted in a 50 percent reduction in the proposed treatment area from a 10 kilometre horseshoe to a narrower 5 kilometres strip, as well as a decrease in the surveillance target from 17 percent to 8 percent.
Invasive Species Council spokesperson Reece Pianta said, “the window to stop dangerous fire ants taking over Australia is rapidly closing, but instead of the urgent funding boost needed, we have more dithering and delay from the federal government. This is risking failure.”
“‘When we saw these alarming documents, our worst fears were realised. They reveal planned eradication and surveillance work has been cut by more than half this year due to delayed funding.”
Estimations suggest fire ants will have a $2 billion per year impact on the nation’s economy if they spread further, devastating wildlife and reducing agricultural output by up to 40 percent. They can be lethal to humans.
Pianta described their potential impact as “greater than cane toads, rabbits, feral cats and foxes combined.”
Originating in South America, fire ants first arrived in Australia in the late 90s via freight from the United States, although the exact date is unknown. Their introduction was accidental.
At a July 13 Agricultural Ministers Meeting, all state governments committed to ongoing fire ant eradication and to a new response plan. But so far only Queensland ($61 million or 10.3% of the total needed) and New South Wales ($95 million or 16%) have made public commitments in line with the cost sharing arrangement set out in those documents.
