Council is accusing the state government of giving up on trying to eradicate fire ants from the Gold Coast.
It comes amid growing concerns authorities are losing the fight against the pests as they creep closer to the New South Wales border.
Agriculture Minister Mark Furner today unveiled a plan that would see a ‘horse-shoed’ containment zone set up in southeast Queensland in a bid to stop the ants from spreading any further.
The area inside that zone would be treated several times a year with the hope they could be wiped out in a couple of years.
The zone will border the Gold Coast in the east, south to the Tweed, north to Moreton Bay and west to the Lockyer Valley.
The government has also announced a crackdown on the ‘human-assisted’ spread of fire ants.
It follows the recent discovery of a nest in Tallebudgera Valley.
“It is the view that that was through assisted human movement by either bringing in soils or mulch or other materials as a result of that,” Minister Furner said.
“So it’s important that people understand their obligations when they’re moving materials around the area or outside of the area.”
Fines of $470,00 and jail terms of up to three years apply for anyone breaching the Biosecurity Act.
But Council has warned the latest measures don’t go anywhere close to what is needed, claiming the government is surrendering to the ants.
Chair of Council’s Lifestyle Committee Hermann Vorster says he’s bitterly disappointed by the announcement.
“What the government proposes to do is establish a shoehorn of containment around the New South Wales border and what that tells us is they’re flying the white flag,” Councillor Vorster said.
“They’ve absolutely surrendered to eradication here on the Gold Coast by making the border, not the Gold Coast, the last line of defence.”
A report recently warned it would cost nearly $600 million to completely wipe out the fire ants in the southeast.
However, government’s have so far only agreed to bring forward $60 million in funding that had already been earmarked for the problem.
Councillor Vorster has warned we are at a ‘tipping point’.
“I think we’ve got mere weeks to act and if the government doesn’t step up, I think the game is well and truly over.
“They need to throw money and resources at this problem, but they actually need to step up with some common sense, too.”
