The NSW Government has completed its sixth wave of heavy vehicle checks as part of the fight to stop the spread of Red Imported Fire Ants from Queensland.
Teams from NSW Police, the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator, and the Department of Primary Industries (DPI) carried out random inspections from Thursday 15 May to Saturday 17 May.
Checks were conducted at key border points on the Pacific Highway at Chinderah and Yelgun, and the New England Highway at Jennings.
This follows fire ant detections in Wardell in 2024 and Murwillumbah in both 2023 and 2024.
Subscribe to our newsletter below and never miss the latest news.
Over the first five waves of checks, 382 vehicles were stopped, with 14 sent back to Queensland under biosecurity directions. Officers also issued 13 penalty notices and three formal warnings.
The sixth operation, named Operation Victa, continues efforts to stop fire ants from entering NSW. These ants are aggressive, destructive, and pose a serious threat to farming, the environment, and people.
Minister for Agriculture Tara Moriarty said protecting NSW’s communities and farmers is a top priority.
“Fire ants aren’t marching into NSW, they’re being carried,” she said. “That’s why we’ve boosted funding and surveillance.”
The NSW Government has committed $95 million to fire ant eradication. It has also cracked down on the movement of high-risk materials such as turf, hay, mulch, soil, sand, and plants from fire ant-infested areas in Queensland.
In November 2023, the Government suspended the movement of turf from Queensland. In April 2024, it extended the ban to hay following severe weather conditions.
In February, two Queensland companies were prosecuted and convicted in a NSW court for breaching biosecurity rules. They were fined a total of $60,000.
Since the emergency declaration in August 2023, DPI has issued more than 100 biosecurity directions and 22 penalty notices, totalling over $39,000.
Minister Moriarty said the successful prosecutions show that the system is working.
“Anyone moving fire ant carriers must follow strict treatment and handling rules under the Biosecurity Emergency Order,” she said.
She also praised members of the public whose hotline calls helped prevent new infestations.
“Community vigilance is key. We thank those who’ve reported suspicious sightings quickly,” she said. “Biosecurity is everyone’s responsibility.”
The NSW Government aims to raise awareness, educate transport operators, and encourage early reporting to stop fire ants before they spread further.
For more information or to report fire ants, call the Biosecurity Helpline on 1800 680 244 or visit www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fire-ants.
0 Comments