<
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/mar/04/australian-program-to-eradicate-red-fire-ants-is-a-shambles-senate-inquiry-told>
"A Senate inquiry into the spread of fire ants in Australia has heard that the
government program tasked with their elimination is an “absolute shambles” and
that an independent eradication body is urgently needed.
The highly invasive insect is believed to have entered Australia in the 1990s
and was discovered at Brisbane port in 2001. A program spanning state,
territory and federal governments was created to eradicate red imported fire
ants and it has been alloctaed more than $1.2bn of federal and state funding.
Of that, $593m covers 2023 to 2027.
But the program was heavily criticised by stakeholders, academics, local
government and community members on the first day of public hearings in
Brisbane on Monday, with delays in funding blamed for allowing the insects to
spread to more than 700,000 hectares in south-east Queensland and for recent
outbreaks in northern New South Wales.
A lack of transparency and wastefulness within the program were also detailed,
with a 2021 strategic review not made public until two years after its
completion, the committee, chaired by Nationals senator Matt Canavan, heard.
When asked by Peter Whish-Wilson of the Greeens why the report’s publication –
which mentioned the word “urgent” 18 times – was delayed until 2023, Dr Helen
Scott-Orr, who led the review, said she had “no idea” and was “extremely
frustrated”.
“My understanding is it would not have been released at all had there not been
the threat it would be leaked,” said Whish-Wilson.
The ants are native to parts of South America and can kill people and
livestock, as well as causing damage to infrastructure and ecosystems.
Platypus, echidna and koalas are particularly vulnerable, according to the
federal environment department."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
