Queensland Invests $24M to Fight Fire Ants After Cyclone

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Queensland has announced a $24 million boost to fight fire ants as 23 people were hospitalized from painful stings in March alone.

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Cyclone Alfred's flooding has created perfect conditions for fire ants to spread, with experts noting an "explosion" in numbers across Southeast Queensland.

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A Brisbane toddler stung at a playground still suffers from welts two weeks later and now fears all ants, showing the growing impact on everyday life.

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Fire ant queens can fly 5 kilometers in a single flight, making the previous self-treatment approach "short-sighted," according to Queensland's Primary Industries Minister.

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The invasive pest threatens to cost Australia's agriculture industry $1 billion annually if left unchecked, according to a Central Queensland University study.

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Turf industry businesses report spending "a couple of people's wages every year" just to treat fire ants while neighboring properties do nothing.

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The Invasive Species Council warns fire ants are a "ticking time bomb" that could change Australia as we know it if they spread beyond Queensland.

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If fire ants become established across Australia, experts predict 150,000 Australians would need medical attention for stings each year.

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The new funding will target 212,000 hectares of the 650,000-hectare suppression zone, with free drone or helicopter treatment for properties over 10 hectares.

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