As the relentless march of Red Imported Fire Ants (RIFA) threatens to wreak havoc on Australia's ecosystem and economy, concerned voices are growing louder, demanding urgent action from all levels of government. A recently released report has shed light on the failure of the current eradication program, sounding the alarm for the need to redouble efforts in containing this menacing invasive species.
CANEGROWERS has called on federal, state, and territory governments to intensify their efforts to combat Red Imported Fire Ants (RIFA) following the release of a long-withheld report revealing major shortcomings in the current eradication program.
The report, which remained undisclosed for two years, delivers a grim assessment, stating that the existing strategy is incapable of eradicating RIFA and preventing the global super-pest from spreading beyond southeast Queensland.
"To prevent RIFA spreading beyond SEQ, building up more around Brisbane, and eventually becoming entrenched throughout Australia, a larger, more comprehensive and inevitably more expensive program will be needed," the report warns.
Failure to take immediate action would have dire consequences, including major public health impacts and billions of dollars' worth of damage to Australian agriculture and the wider economy.
In light of the report's findings, the report suggests that if governments are not serious about eradicating or containing RIFA, the national eradication program should be phased out and a state-by-state management approach should be implemented.
CANEGROWERS Environment and Sustainability Senior Manager Mick Quirk emphasised the seriousness of the situation, stating, "Red Imported Fire Ants are one of the worst invasive species to ever reach Australia, and failure to eradicate them would have dire consequences for the entire community."
Quirk further criticised the current fire ant program, describing it as "not fit for purpose" and "grossly under-resourced." He questioned the two-year delay in responding to the report's recommendations, calling for urgency and transparency in addressing the issue.
"We call on all states and territories and the Federal Government to recommit to a properly funded and coordinated national program that will eradicate fire ants once and for all. Failure to do so will have a devastating impact on a whole range of agricultural industries and on the Australian way of life," Quirk added.
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