Nation needs to talk crazy

Invasive acid-spraying ants posing a threat to Wet Tropics rainforest Army officer makes switch from front line to thin blue line in Cairns

YELLOW crazy ants need to be a “national conversation” in order to preserve the World Heritage values of the Far North’s rainforests.

Experts have warned that UNESCO could choose to add the Wet Tropics to its World Heritage sites “in danger” list, unless authorities do more to prevent the invasive insects spreading across the Far North.

The acid-spraying ants are 800m away from Cairns’ Copperlode Dam. If they reach it, they could become uncontrol- AFTER tours of duty in Afghanistan, Iraq and the Solomon Islands, army officer-turned-police officer Scott Irvine reckons he’s lable if they are spread through the catchment.

The Wet Tropics Management Authority is seeking about $5 million a year for three years to control the destructive pests’ spread.

Carol Booth from the Invasive Species Council said the ants had the potential to completely transform the rainforest ecosystem, as seen on Christmas Island.

“Given the concerns of researchers about their impacts in the Wet Tropics, if they’re ready for just about anything. The first-year constable is among six new recruits to start in Cairns this week after graduating from the Oxley police academy in Brisbane.

It was during an eight-year not controlled, you could imagine it could have really deep, wide impacts that would really compromise the values of the Wet Tropics World Heritage area,’’ she said.

The Wet Tropics, which extends from Townsville to Cooktown, was ranked by the International Union for Conservation of Nature two years ago as being the second-most irreplaceable natural World Heritage site, in terms of its threatened species.

Dr Booth said given the global army career that he spent time in the northern part of Queensland, so when it came time to pick preferences for the police he had some idea of where he wanted to go.

“I was in Townsville awareness about how important the region was to biodiversity, yellow crazy ants should be a topic of national importance.

“It really should be a topic for the nation, but it’s not and this is a major problem,’’ she said. “All Australians should be worried about this threat to one of the most precious World Heritage areas in the world.

“It’s such a special place and really the fact that so little money and so little attention has been given to this problem, previously; I love the tropics and I think Cairns trumps Townsville,” he said.

The group will spend 12 months rotating around Cairns, Smithfield and Edmonton stations and it’s really worrying. Conservation advocates should be really calling for much more action on this threat.”

She said the funding sought by the Wet Tropics Management Authority from all levels of government was worth every cent.

“It needs enough funding for us to do the job properly, otherwise we will regret it forever if we don’t take this small window of opportunity we have now to get these ants out of the Wet Tropics,’’ she said. Constable Irvine said he couldn’t wait to hit the road.

“You’ve just got to be ready for all of it,” he said.

“My father was a police officer ... (because) I was in the army previously I just

Queensland Tourism Industry Council CEO Daniel Gschwind, who did not know much about the ants in the Far North, said all threats to natural assets needed to be taken seriously.

“The basis for much of our tourism industry, whether it’s the Great Barrier Reef, the Wet Tropics rainforests, or other aspects of our landscape, if we put them at risk, then we really put the tourism industry at risk,’’ he said. “Any threat that large should be taken seriously.” wanted a job where I didn’t know what I would be doing each day.”

They will spend the first year working alongside a senior officer and in various roles.