Media Release: Fire ant prediction comes true after 10 years

Ten years after being condemned as a doomsday prophet that the fire ant menace would never be controlled, Ipswich Councillor Paul Tully may have been vindicated after a fire ant infestation has been discovered near Grandchester 70km west of Brisbane.

At the time, Cr Tully likened fire ants to the rabbit and the cane today saying they would never be stopped in Australia.

In 2001, Cr Tully called for additional state and federal funding to curb the spread of the fire ant.

"Ministers and bureaucrats were quick to claim it was all under control.

"The federal government needs to respond nationally and pump more money into eradicating the fire ant.

"This will soon become a nationwide problem while bureaucrats dither over the issue," Cr Tully said.