A three-person taskforce to combat the spread of the destructive fire ant has been launched in Logan.
Logan City Council’s initiative to tackle the pest issue was necessitated after other levels of government passed on responsibility for treating fire ants on council-owned land.
The taskforce will consist of three staff fitted with specialised equipment to surveil and treat fire ants on all 12,000ha of council land.
“Any land with a high public risk of fire ant infestation will be our priority,” a council spokesperson said.
However, the tasforce won’t be used to treat fire ants on any land not belonging to council – including land adjacent to council properties that are threatened.
“Council has no funding or legal ability to undertake surveillance and suppression of fire ants on land not owned by it,” the spokesperson said.
“Because of this, Council is unable to provide treatment or assistance to landowners who have detected fire ant activity on their own land.
“In the event fire ant infestation is detected on land adjacent to Council owned property, the relevant landholder is responsible for undertaking suppression in accordance with their [general biosecurity obligation].”
A whistleblower from the government’s initial eradication program told MyCity Logan local councils should be armed with the funding and treatment to manage fire ants.
This sentiment was echoed by Logan mayor Jon Raven, who said it would be “amazing” for council to be given fire ant treatment to pass on to residents, as well as the Invasive Species Council (ISC) – an independent advocacy group.
“The Queensland and federal governments should fund local government response teams and distribute free or subsidised fire ant bait to all residents and businesses in the affected area,” ISC advocacy manager Reece Pianta said.
“Councils are best placed to treat the land they manage like parks, reserves, road corridors.
“They need funding to do this work – most councils cannot afford the cost of local fire ant task forces, bait supplies and equipment.
“Fire ant eradication is a national priority being undermined by underfunding.”
Currently, the taskforce is entirely Logan City council funded.
Last month, a council spokesperson said council would provide residents with free fire ant bait “if the state or federal government provided funding for the treatments and administration costs”.
Mr Pianta said free bait for residents and businesses would “encourage everyone in the fire ant zone to support the eradication efforts”.
“The more people in a neighbourhood doing this the better protected your backyard will be,” he said.
The council spokesperson said $343,000 would be allocated towards the taskforce over the next year, with an additional $166,000 for specialist equipment.
“This level of funding will continue over successive years,” she said.
“Biosecurity Queensland will provide council with a regular list of specific locations of nests for us to treat on our land.
“We have a comprehensive management plan in place, created in collaboration with Biosecurity Queensland, guiding how we undertake suppression activities on council land.”
Mr Pianta said increasing checks and baiting on public land, including transport corridors, must be a priority.