Two Queensland companies were fined for illegally importing fire ant-infected turf into NSW. Photo: Qld Govt
Two Queensland businesses were fined a total of $60,000 in the NSW Local Court for importing banned red fire ants across the state border.
The government says both businesses were convicted of breaching biosecurity laws by transporting turf, soil, turf underlay and compost from infested areas in Queensland across into NSW.
Brytarbri Pty Ltd, trading as Allenview Turf, was convicted on January 29 of nine offences after transporting soil, turf underlay and compost into NSW from infested areas north of the border without clearance.
The second business, Marlyn Compost, was convicted of 20 offences and fined on February 7 under the NSW Biosecurity Act 2015 for moving turf from Queensland’s infested areas south of the border without clearance.
Last November, NSW Agriculture Minister Tara Moriarty banned the transport of any turf from Qld’s infested areas into NSW.
Moriarty says that in three cases where fire ants got through the biosecurity nets, they were eradicated quickly.
“There will be no sympathy for a business who flouts our biosecurity controls and threatens our state’s land, homes and farms with fire ants,” she says.
“The full force of the law will be instigated to show this is very serious and will not be tolerated.”
She says CCTV, police, sniffer dogs, controls and border checks are being used to monitor fire ants and support the Queensland Government in eradicating their infestation.
OPERATION VICTA
So far, under Operation Victa, there have been eight penalty notices and three warnings issued after 352 vehicles were stopped; 156 of them from infested areas and 12 vehicles ordered back to Queensland.
Fire ant sniffer dogs are also on patrol at Kyogle and Tweed Valley to monitor trucks, landscaping sites and target properties.
The government’s fire ant team has completed the following since December 2023:
- Checked 1366 public reports of potential fire ant sightings;
- Received 12,750 business movement declarations;
- Carried out 1613 surveillance events.
