Queensland Citizens draws to the attention of the House that your petitioners grave concerns regarding the National Fire Ant Eradication Program (NFAEP) and request an urgent reassessment of its strategy, for the following reasons:

• We have concerns that the NFAEP has breached its obligations under the Environmental Protection Act 1994 by conducting the world’s largest eradication experiment in the absence of any Australian-based Environmental Risk Assessment.
• The effect of repeated broadscale application of pesticides (one unregistered and one under investigation) on the environment and humans remains unknown, it is impossible to assert that the risk of fire ants exceeds the environmental risk of repeated pesticide application.
• Despite 23 years and >$1b taxpayer dollars, net infestation has not been reduced by even one acre. Experts believe eradication is now impossible.
• The Biosecurity Act 2014 undermines property rights, permitting forced entry and application of toxic chemicals by the NFAEP onto private properties, increasingly causing distress and fear as the Program rolls out.
• This Program has no endpoint.

Your petitioners, therefore, request the House to:

1. Immediately pause the NFAEP.
2. Commission a comprehensive Environmental Risk Assessment on the effects of broadscale long-term use of fire ant baits on human and environmental health.
3. Shift from an ‘Eradication Program’ to a ‘Suppression Program’, focusing on restricting hazardous material movement to contain fire ant spread.
4. In implementing the Biosecurity Act 2014, allow authorised officers to treat private properties only where a biosecurity threat is evidenced on the property whilst accommodating owners’ concerns.