Rodney Stevens

The member for Clarence, Richie Williamson, recently moved a motion in NSW Parliament calling on the Minns Labor Government to take action against invasive fire ants, which could cost the state $1 billion in lost agricultural production.

In November, three fire ant nests were detected in South Murwillumbah, 13 kilometres south of the Queensland border and they have since been eradicated.

This is the first fire ant detection in Northern NSW and presumed to be the most southern report of fire ants from the Queensland infestation.

As a result, the NSW Biosecurity (Fire Ant) Emergency Order has been implemented, restricting the movement of fire ant carrier material into NSW from the fire ant infested area of Queensland, and from the Fire Ant Movement Control Area in South Murwillumbah.

Mr Williamson moved the notice of motion in NSW Parliament, calling for immediate action from Premier Chris Minns.

“An outbreak of fire ants in the Northern Rivers, which the NSW Government admits could cost one billion dollars, requires immediate action from State Premier Chris Minns,” Mr Williamson said.

“These pests cause grievous harm to their victims – be they humans, native fauna, or livestock.

“Small businesses and family farms are going to cop it big time and they need immediate assurances that the NSW Labor Government will be on their side, without immediate action, this could become a biosecurity and economic nightmare for communities across the Richmond and Clarence Valleys and beyond.

“We need to wipe out the infestation as quickly as possible and we need to support financially the many affected by the crisis.”

Mr Williamson’s notice of motion called for the Minns Government to do “all things possible to stop the spread of fire ants in Northern NSW following the detection in Murwillumbah”.

The motion also noted advice from Minister for Agriculture Tara Moriarty that the fire ant problem could cost $1 billion in lost agricultural production and called on the Minns Government to provide compensation to affected businesses as a matter of urgency.