Appendix 3Site inspection of the National Fire Ant Eradication Program - Caboolture depot

On 16 April 2024, a sub-committee appointed by the Senate Regional and Rural Affairs and Transport References Committee (the committee) conducted a site inspection of the newly opened National Fire Ant Eradication Program (NFAEP) operations centre in Caboolture, Queensland. Treatment operations from the new Caboolture depot commenced from 3 April 2024.[1]

Senator the Hon. Matthew Canavan (Chair), Senator the Hon. Richard Colbeck, Senator Gerard Rennick, and Senator Malcolm Roberts participated in the visit.

The committee were welcomed by Mr Ashley Bacon, Executive Program Director, and officers from the NFAEP who led a brief tour of the depot. This was followed by an on-site demonstration of the odour detection dogs highlighting their ability to look for and identify red imported fire ants (RIFA).

NFAEP staff and field teams then showcased equipment for the application of a RIFA treatment and the tools and techniques that are used during this process to ensure quality and safety. The committee then travelled to a nearby location at the Sports Aeromodellers Association Moreton Bay Region Model Aircraft Club where NFAEP staff provided a drone demonstration and explained how the drones are used to detect and identify RIFA nests. The figure below shows the committee observing this demonstration.

Throughout the site visit, the NFAEP scientists were on-site to answers questions from the committee regarding the depot and its operations.

On behalf of the committee, Senator Canavan thanked Mr Bacon and the NFAEP employees for kindly hosting the committee's visit.

Footnotes

[1]Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF), response to questions taken on notice, 18 March 2024 (received 28 March 2024), p. [7].