[Surferdude]

Stink bugs delay 10,000 Hyundai and Kia cars following increased biosecurity checks | CarAdvice

[Dazzler]

Glad I'm not waiting on a delivery. 

[Shambles]

A damned fine policy too. Good on 'em.

[nzenigma]

A damned fine policy too.

If it was enforced 

  "the department says due to strict biosecurity conditions “Australia remains free from many pests and diseases ...bla bla”. But dont mention the fire ant war. 

"Fire ants are spreading into new areas across south-east Queensland according to a Biosecurity Queensland insider who says the war to eradicate the potential killers is all but lost."
Biosecurity insider warns fire ants spreading past south-east Queensland detection zones - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

[mickd]

A damned fine policy too.

If it was enforced 

  "the department says due to strict biosecurity conditions “Australia remains free from many pests and diseases ...bla bla”. But dont mention the fire ant war. 

"Fire ants are spreading into new areas across south-east Queensland according to a Biosecurity Queensland insider who says the war to eradicate the potential killers is all but lost."
Biosecurity insider warns fire ants spreading past south-east Queensland detection zones - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Yep, coming to a town near you. Bring back Chlordane insecticide.

[CraigB]

A damned fine policy too.

If it was enforced 

  "the department says due to strict biosecurity conditions “Australia remains free from many pests and diseases ...bla bla”. But dont mention the fire ant war. 

"Fire ants are spreading into new areas across south-east Queensland according to a Biosecurity Queensland insider who says the war to eradicate the potential killers is all but lost."
Biosecurity insider warns fire ants spreading past south-east Queensland detection zones - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Yep, coming to a town near you. Bring back Chlordane insecticide.

They turned up here a couple of weeks ago Red imported fire ants found in Fremantle, prompting warning about potentially deadly bite - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) a huge section of Fremantle has been quarantined off with restrictions on certain materials that can be removed from affected areas Biosecurity alert: Red Imported Fire Ant | Agriculture and Food

[Surferdude]

I can't open that link but I know a bit about fire ants.

My daughter is an Environmental Health Officer with one of the infected councils  and is pretty clued up on the measures being taken.
They're hard to eradicate because the initial nest will have several satellites up to 20 or 30 metres away and less prominent.

But she is of the opinion they're still contained.

Outbreaks in Sydney, at the Port of Brisbane and in Sydney and Rockhampton have been eradicated.

Of course, preventing them getting in in the first place is the key but when you watch those customs shows on TV and see what rubbish people bring in, we're always gonna be behind the 8 ball.

As for shipping containers,  when I was working, I think only about 3% of incoming containers were fully inspected.  To do them all would create impossibly  horrendous costs.

Given our history with prickly pear and the cane toad, I think we're doing reasonably OK.

But the next big pest is probably just around the corner.   

[Surferdude]

A damned fine policy too.

If it was enforced 

  "the department says due to strict biosecurity conditions “Australia remains free from many pests and diseases ...bla bla”. But dont mention the fire ant war. 

"Fire ants are spreading into new areas across south-east Queensland according to a Biosecurity Queensland insider who says the war to eradicate the potential killers is all but lost."
Biosecurity insider warns fire ants spreading past south-east Queensland detection zones - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Yep, coming to a town near you. Bring back Chlordane insecticide.

They turned up here a couple of weeks ago Red imported fire ants found in Fremantle, prompting warning about potentially deadly bite - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) a huge section of Fremantle has been quarantined off with restrictions on certain materials that can be removed from affected areas Biosecurity alert: Red Imported Fire Ant | Agriculture and Food

Yep.
I wonder how many ships on the high seas are harbouring them.

[CraigB]

I can't open that link but I know a bit about fire ants.

If it's the abc link you're referring to it took a couple of goes for it to open for me as well.

Given our history with prickly pear and the cane toad, I think we're doing reasonably OK.

But the next big pest is probably just around the corner.   

The Cane Toad is another that has eventually made it's way to WA recently, they've been turning up in the far north of the state.

[Surferdude]

I tried about 5 or 6 times.
Gave up. 

[CraigB]

I tried about 5 or 6 times.
Gave up. 

Trev, what browser are you using? it's opening every time for me now with the new Edge Chromium

[Surferdude]

I tried about 5 or 6 times.
Gave up. 

Trev, what browser are you using? it's opening every time for me now with the new Edge Chromium

Just my tablet. Android.

[Surferdude]

Working now.
I've had issues with ABC links before.
They always come good in the end.
Or I lose interest. 

[nzenigma]

I can't open that link but I know a bit about fire ants.

My daughter is an Environmental Health Officer with one of the infected councils  and is pretty clued up on the measures being taken.
They're hard to eradicate because the initial nest will have several satellites up to 20 or 30 metres away and less prominent.

But she is of the opinion they're still contained.

Outbreaks in Sydney, at the Port of Brisbane and in Sydney and Rockhampton have been eradicated.

The other port infections make me more skeptical.

 I used to import pickups and classic cars from the USA.
 The containers were never fumigated because of potential damage to upholstery.
After customs clearance the containers went to Interport at Nudgee Rd (close to the city) waiting for inspection   

Interport workers would pull the vehicles out for me, and we would stamp on most of the black widow spiders that were wandering off toward Ascot racecourse.
It once took ten days for the usual 15 year old inspectorette, in cute uniform,  to turn up.

I therefore was not surprised when I heard that fire ants had been with us for possibly 5 years.

Remedy:
 Fed government offers a bunch of money to the Queensland government to fix the ant problem.
 US experts give Qld govt advice.
Qld govt has thought bubble = new jobs = reelection = employ 2000 un-trainable idiots to wander around paddocks.

 Result:  fire ants have spread and Qld govt now blames truck drivers. 

[mickd]

I can't open that link but I know a bit about fire ants.

My daughter is an Environmental Health Officer with one of the infected councils  and is pretty clued up on the measures being taken.
They're hard to eradicate because the initial nest will have several satellites up to 20 or 30 metres away and less prominent.

But she is of the opinion they're still contained.

Outbreaks in Sydney, at the Port of Brisbane and in Sydney and Rockhampton have been eradicated.

The other port infections make me more skeptical.

 I used to import pickups and classic cars from the USA.
 The containers were never fumigated because of potential damage to upholstery.
After customs clearance the containers went to Interport at Nudgee Rd (close to the city) waiting for inspection   

Interport workers would pull the vehicles out for me, and we would stamp on most of the black widow spiders that were wandering off toward Ascot racecourse.
It once took ten days for the usual 15 year old inspectorette, in cute uniform,  to turn up.

I therefore was not surprised when I heard that fire ants had been with us for possibly 5 years.

Remedy:
 Fed government offers a bunch of money to the Queensland government to fix the ant problem.
 US experts give Qld govt advice.
Qld govt has thought bubble = new jobs = reelection = employ 2000 un-trainable idiots to wander around paddocks.

 Result:  fire ants have spread and Qld govt now blames truck drivers. 

@nzenigma
"un-trainable idiot" - when you yell and are in pain , you've found some"
 

(Thank you Jimbo, you're  a cutie     )

[nzenigma]

 

Cheers Mick, have a couple of pics to PM with Xmas best wishes. G