Local fire ant issue flares up

Authorities are cracking down on how the building industry manages fire ants in the South-East.

It comes as Yarrabilba residents take part in a pilot program to assist in the eradication of fire ants….  

The program’s already been slammed by Scenic Rim MP Jon Krause – who says it’s failed to stop the spread of fire-ants.

It’s also been revealed,  60 tonnes of soil was illegally moved recently from a fire ant biosecurity zone near the Queensland – New South Wales border.

Mid last year,   Mr Krause used the floor of Queensland Parliament to allege that the program displayed nepotism, racism, drug use, inappropriate behaviour and falsification of records.

He told Parliament: “Today I place on the public record several very serious claims made to me by former and current employees of the program who have contacted me because the culture of fear and intimidation within the program means they cannot speak up without fear of losing their job,” he said.

It was later met with a response from a spokesman for the National Red Imported Fire Ant Eradication Program  who said they had not been provided with any evidence for these allegations. This week,  the program’s Brett Turnville went public,  saying the fire ant zones need to be taken seriously.