Logan’s mayor wants the National Fire Ant Eradication Program to provide Logan City council with the funding and bait to “empower” local residents.
And local politicians claim to have Logan residents’ backs in the fight against the invasive and destructive species.
“I think it would be amazing if the national fire ant program was providing treatment to councils to give to residents so they can treat their properties,” mayor Jon Raven said.
“People would love help on their own properties, and to know there is somewhere they can get the right treatment, ideally for free, and from somewhere convenient – council depots make a lot of sense.
“It’s more effective if you hand it out for free and you empower people to treat their own properties.”
A whistleblower from the government’s initial eradication program last week told MyCity Logan local governments should be given the funding to manage fire ants.
Recently, councils were tasked with treating fire ants on council-owned and managed properties.
A spokesperson from the National Fire Ant Eradication Program, which operates out of Berrinba, said councils played an “important role”.
“We must work together to eradicate this invasive pest once and for all,” she said.
Carbrook resident Kay Honey is the latest of many residents across the city who have reached out to MyCity Logan about a battle with the pests.
Armed with only a small amount of treatment designed for a 400sqm backyard, acreage property owners are left to destroy hundreds of nests themselves.
“I think that Carbrook in Logan is losing the battle against fire ants,” Ms Honey said.
“We have been treating them on our local footpaths where we live for the last 12 months and have had a few nests on our 15-acre property.
“We have stopped reporting them as the fire ant people didn’t even turn up last time.”
Some residents said it took weeks for the authorities to respond, and even longer to receive any help.
Over the past few weeks, residents have consistently said they were left to fend for themselves.
The program spokesperson said Logan residents, who live in what’s called a “suppression area”, need to look for, report, and regularly treat fire ants on their properties until “eradication treatment reaches their area”.
“This approach can help prevent the pests from building more nests in known fire ant areas,” she said.
“Australia’s Fire ant response plan 2023–27 is focused on strengthening containment and compliance, and intensifying program-led and community treatment using a systematic, outside-in approach.
“This involves multiple rounds of treatment over several years followed by surveillance activity.
“This treatment protocol will progressively move inwards until all areas are cleared and free of fire ants.”
Last month, the Invasive Species Council issued an “urgent call” to boost funding in the suppression zone.
“It’s clear that suppression within the fire ant containment zone is failing and that is leading to more outbreaks outside the fire biosecurity zone,’ the council’s advocacy manager Reece Pianta said.
“Increasing nest densities are resulting in higher risk of fire ants being moved to new areas, undermining the entire eradication program.”
The Member for Waterford, Shannon Fentiman, said the National Fire Ant Eradication Program had “already achieved success in limiting the spread”.
“But we know the challenge continues,” Ms Fentiman said.
“I’ve spoken to our agriculture minister to see what other proactive measures we can take to reduce the impacts fire ants have on our land.
“He is taking the conversation to his federal counterparts to ensure we stay at the forefront of this fight.
“I will continue advocating to ensure our community stays safe from the real threat fire ants pose.
“And I encourage members of our community to sign up for a fire ant treatment kit for when they become available this September.”
The program spokesperson said eradication was feasible, and supported by the independent Scientific Advisory Group, which comprised “some of the best scientific minds in the world”.
The goal is to eradicate the ants by 2032.
