Media Release

KAP Leader and Federal Member for Kennedy, Bob Katter today welcomed the news that the Wet Tropics Management Authority will receive nearly $2 million dollars in Federal Government funding for the eradication of Yellow Crazy Ants which are infesting the Edmonton area in Far North Queensland.

“We thank the Environment Minister for giving us the money and we are very appreciative of his assistance in this matter,” Mr Katter said.

“We most of all thank the people who came to us and were not content to sit back and do nothing. These people said we expect the government to act and they did. As a result, we have a very favourable outcome.

“We now have to get the co-operation of the greater Cairns region to keep their eyes out for fire ants,” he said.

Yellow Crazy Ants are in the top 100 pest species in the world. The size of a common green ant, the Yellow Crazy Ants spray a form of acid which irritates the skin of animals, especially small invertebrates and birds. The ants have had a devastating impact on the native environments in Christmas Island and the Gove Peninsula in the Northern Territory.

The Wet Tropics Management Authority plans to learn from the Christmas Island and Gove experience in developing the specific program for the Edmonton area.

The $1,997,870 in funding from the Caring for Our Country grants program will be provided to the Wet Tropics Management Authority over three years to implement the project called 'Yellow Crazy Ant eradication in and next to the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area'.

The funding will be used for a holistic program which includes eradication, education and community awareness, partnering with Conservation Volunteers Australia and partnering with the local First Australians.

The grants program aims to deliver outcomes for ecosystem resilience and maintain healthy vegetation in targeted areas across Australia.