The Fire Ant Eradication Program is doing harm.
Harm to our environment and unique waterways.
Harm to our senitive ecosystems.
Harm to our Wildlife and our Domestic Animals.
Though, Most importantly, Harm to Human Health.
Obviously, there are those, and I have talked to dozens of people, who experience respiratory problems and others with sensitivity symptoms of itchiness, dryness and rash, occuring when exposed to certain chemicals utilised by the National Fire Ant Eradication Program. Most of which have medical certificates isued by their GP. I have witnessed many such certificates, issued by professional, registered, main stream, medical centres. When talking to people about this, I relate it to force feeding everyone in Australia one teaspoon of Peanut Butter. Peanut Butter is unlikely to kill anyone, though estimates of 1.5 – 3.0 % of Australians could be adversly effected by Peanut Butter, some fatally if left untreated.
I have talked to many others who are experiencing mental and overall health decline, feeling anxiety and stress assosiated with not wanting to be expossed to toxic chemcials or pesticides. Some people (justifiably) report trust issues with government department, others worry about these government agents alternate objectives (if any) and being dobbed in for having unregistered dogs or cats, having to many horses on their small acreage land, or unapproved dwelling or sheds built on their property. People talk about breakin and stolen property occuring and being linked to these strangers who forced their way onto people private property, without consent, to distribute toxic chemcials to treat for fire ants, often which are not evident on the property.
The lunacy of the program, prophylactically treating private property (without consent), in areas where no fire ants exists (often where it is impossible for fire ants to establish successful colonies) creates conspiracy theories, initiating more government distrust and divide in communities.
People lifestyle and farming method choices have been ignored, expecially around chemical free lifestyle choices and organic farming, though the most horrific stories I have heard result in privacy breaches on private land. Stories relating to women or children being exposed to many men walking on their private property, without consent, or even property owners knowledge. Stories of night workers being woken up during the day, vulnerable and compromised with their sleep dress attire, stepping out their back yard with a team of men distributing toxic chemicals in their backyard. Several women have discussed feeling violated. Engulfed in a sense of rage, fear and shame, with a sense of disguise, sickened by the thought of being violated and left feeling ‘raped’ through sickening privacy breaches. These stories have left there tellers traumatised and scared in their own home, often requiring support from family, friends and professional help.
I am a qualified and accredited counsellor and mental health practitioner, managing a small private practice. Upon hearing so many horror stories and experiencing my own difficulties with the NFAEP, I decided to campaign for change.
I have repeatedly advised decision makers and elected members the harm the NFAEP is having on the community and tried to diplomatically create awareness of these issues many, many times over the past 6 months. In particular, I emailed every elected State Member for Queensland on the 13 August 2024 expercing severe concern of the way the NFAEP was being conducted.
It wasn’t only the residents I was having concern for, I was hearing a sense of anger, and increasing frustration building and a feeling of helplessness in the community as hostilities started increasing between residents and employees of the programs and those in the eradication zones and those in the suppression zones. After many attempts to communicate the problems I was seeing in the community I decided to create a controversial, attention grabbing post I called ‘Wieambilla Can Happen Again’ (Published on both LinkedIn and Facebook).
Mark Furner, former Minister for the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (QLD), now Department of Primary Industries, was instantly made aware of this post through the media and responded. His response didn’t seek clarity, further information or ask for solutions of what he can do to help, Mark Furner instead made the comment that I would be reported to the authorities and called me an anti-vaxer and tin foil hatter. Marni Manning also minimised my concerns by calling those speaking out against the program as one persenters and reiterating tin foil hatters to minimise our comments.
My campaign efforts to date have been unable to initiate change, however, my stubboness keeps strategising new techniques, alliances and community support to initiate change and stop the current Fire Ant Eradication Program.
These efforts have created a response from the program, labeling me a nuisance customer and deemed me unreasonable with my behaviour (campaign) labeled
1. False, inflammatory, and defamatory communications: Publicly identifying and making unfounded accusations against departmental staff on online platforms such as LinkedIn or Facebook, including personal attacks on their integrity and professionalism.
2. Threatening language: Online comments that reference to outcomes where “Wieambilla can happen again” and “Queensland Police Service will have to shoot me” raise significant ongoing health, safety, security, and wellbeing concerns.
3. Issuing unreasonable demands, instructions, escalations, and expectations of outcomes: Insisting that more time be spent on this issue than is warranted and demanding access to protected personal information is unreasonable.
Ironically, these exact points are what they are doing to me and my community.
1. False, inflammatory, and defamatory communications: Using Invasive Species Council to spread fear and propaganda about the severity of harm fire ants are causing and creating pseudoscience and exaggerated costing and analysis to substantiate the need for eradication and lobby Federal Government and other states for funding (under cabinet in confidence) Publically name calling me ‘tinfoil hatter’, ‘anti-vaxer’ and part of the ‘one percenters’. In addition, in recent weeks manage of NFAEP has been reported of spreading false and misleading information about the danger I pose workers in relation to shotting threats, which I didn’t make and a complete false misrepresentation of any of my official or unofficial communications.
2. My ‘Wieambilla Can Happen Again’ was not threatening in any shape, way or form. It was a post of concern and detailed some real issues which have not been addressed, and continue to be, ignored. The NFAEP threats of police intervention (including arrest), $16,000.00 fines and court action are threats the department make daily to lots of community members not wanting prophylactic chemcial treatment on their property.
3. Issuing unreasonable demands, instructions, escalations, and expectations of outcomes: Insisting that private property owners will get their private property treated 3-6 times a year, from now till the foreseeable future, whether fire ants are evident or no, is an unreasonable demand from the NFAEP. Their instructions, escalvations, and expectation of outcomes to treat 100% of properties (whether private or public, with or without fire ants) regardless of medical conditions, organic farming or lifestyle choices, people might present as reasonable excuses is draconian and an overreach of power by a government department.
I will continue campaigning until change is realised.
STOP FIRE ANT ERADICATION SCAM IMMEDIATELY.
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