INCREASING numbers of Queenslanders are up in arms over the heavy-handed tactics of the National Fire Ant Eradication Program run by Biosecurity Queensland, which rides roughshod over property rights in the name of “controlling invasive species”.
Section 261 of Queensland’s Biosecurity Act 2014 commenced on 26 April 2019 presumes to give biosecurity officers the right to enter property without permission: “An authorised officer may, at reasonable times, enter the place to take any action authorised by the biosecurity program,” it states.
One recent example was a Brisbane woman Ashleigh Karam describing on social media how her gate padlock was broken and the property entered by a team to carry out treatment.
“The fire ant people come on to my property today and spray my whole yard and I was not home and now my dog will not come out from under my partner’s car and we were not home at the time,” she said.
“We have never had problems with fire ants. We have been in our house for almost 4 years, now they want to do something I’m not happy at all they broke the padlock on my gate to get in.”
Another Brisbane woman posting on Facebook as Jenna Felicity showed video of her very sick rooster standing but unable to lift its head. She said the rooster “flies out and goes walk about” which is apparently when it ate fire ant granules. The hens were kept inside the pen.
The rooster appeared to be showing symptoms of neurotoxicity, which is one of the side effects of hydramethylnon, an insecticide that acted as a neurotoxin, which could also lead to death.
The website of the National Fire Ant Eradication Program claims the poisons they use “are safe for birds and mammals including livestock, such as cattle, sheep, pigs, and horses” – a claim that now appears highly questionable.
Jenna Felicity also posted video of a drone dropping the fire ant baits in the rain, raising concerns about the baits washing into creeks. Fire ant program opponent Trevor Hold posted a photo (inset) of one of the drones used by contractors. He says they are programmed to fly in certain areas and have no manual control.
The dropping of bait from drones is reportedly being done over side areas and without permission of property owners – even those who put up signs warning teams them to keep out.
“Organic farms are losing their status, and property owners are left with the burden of managing the aftermath. If animals die, the cost of proving it falls on individuals through government-controlled testing facilities,” an anonymous post stated.
Another family posted security camera footage on Facebook of a fire ant team walking on to the suburban property and sprinkling the bait around the front yard including directly on to a hedge.
Gold Coast woman Lin Sutherland, who produced a documentary exposing the fire ant program and held a public meeting on the issue in October, said a friend’s cat has started pulling its hair out while another friend’s dog has been vomiting and was sluggish. These were signs of pesticide poisoning, she said.
Another friend’s dog had fluid on the lungs and another friend’s horse was also sick recently, she said. She had discovered that eradication teams had “definitely treated the primary school which is very close by and many paths along where we live.”
Another Gold Coast woman named Sandy Duncan said a fire ant team had visited her street in Palm Beach and she told them not to put the poison granules on her garden.
“I tried to remember the name of the expert that was world-renowned in this field and they said they knew of him and he now sides with them re using the granular poison,” she said.
“One of the younger ones was laughing and I could tell he was thinking I am stupid and don’t know anything. He said the pyroxifene is not poison and asked for my details. I refused to give any of my details and he said next time it would be more of a process.
“I questioned this and said it sounded like a threat. I also said “isn’t there a reasonable excuse like chemical sensitivity?” He said yes, but I would have to prove it. I just wish I was more articulate with info as they just don’t think its poison.”
According to the website of the National Fire Ant Eradication Program fire ant treatments “have undergone rigorous testing and are safe for birds and mammals including livestock, such as cattle, sheep, pigs, and horses.”
“The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) has approved fire ant treatments for over 20 years. Pyriproxyfen and S-methoprene in fire ant treatment are not classified as poisons under the Therapeutic Goods (Poisons Standard) Instrument.
“The National Fire Ant Eradication Program’s fire ant treatment products containing either pyriproxyfen or S-methoprene are safe for mammals, including birds and livestock, such as cattle, sheep, pigs, and horses.”
The website says the fire ant program engaged “an independent expert toxicologist” who “confirmed that both pyriproxyfen and S-methoprene have very low acute toxicity to mammals, based on previous studies.
“The risk of adverse effects on mammals is negligible provided that the products are used in accordance with their label directions.”
However these claims are contradicted by other information. Penny Grebert of Palm Beach, a member of Stop the toxic fire ant program, posted on the group’s page that hydramethylnon was an insecticide that acted as a neurotoxin, disrupting the insect’s nervous system and ultimately leading to death.
Pyriproxyfen is an insect growth regulator (IGR) that mimics juvenile hormone, preventing insects from developing into adulthood and thus rendering them unable to reproduce.
She listed, without citing a source, that environmental concerns were that both chemicals “have been linked to environmental contamination and potential harm to non-target aquatic organisms.”
“Pyriproxyfen has been shown to have low volatility, high Kow value (a measure of the relationship between fat solubility and water solubility of a substance), and high lability in aerobic aquatic systems, but is considered persistent in anaerobic systems.
“Hydramethylnon is toxic to wildlife and has been linked to reproductive toxicity and potential human carcinogenicity. Both insecticides have been linked to potential human health risks, including effects on blood and liver function while pyriproxyfen has been associated with microcephaly (birth defect) and bioaccumulation in fish.”
Ms Grebert said the Queensland government had raised concerns about the use of pyriproxyfen and hydramethylnon, citing potential environmental damage and human health risks and “the Queensland Parliament has recommended further studies on the effects of broad-scale insecticide spraying on the environment and human health.”
She said a toxicity study on pyriproxyfen in adult male mice found significant reduction in body and organ weights, as well as probable testicular tissue alterations and damage to testicular architecture.
“In summary, while both hydramethylnon and pyriproxyfen are insecticides with distinct modes of action, they share concerns regarding environmental contamination, human health risks, and potential toxicity to non-target organisms. Further research and regulatory scrutiny are warranted to ensure the safe use of these chemicals.”
Cairns News is still unable to confirm the report of a Lockyer man who said he caught a fire ant team planting ants on his property. A close contact of the man said he was ill and not able to talk at length.
