Report of the Independent Review Panel: Independent Review Panel of the National Red Imported Fire Ant Eradication Program

Abstract

This report was prepared for the Agricultural Ministers Forum to assist in the deliberations of future funding of the program designed to eradicate red imported fire ants (RIFA) in Australia. The report can be downloaded from the Australian Senate web pages. RIFA is currently a border biosecurity issue (i.e. still contained with a gaol of eradication) but if the strategy shifts towards control, RIFA is not eradicated it has the potential to detrimentally impact on the Australian society, its economy, and its ecosystem. RIFA is a highly adaptive species and can habitat the entire continent. The report evaluated the likelihood and benefit from eradicating in Australia. To achieve this the study reworked the fundamentals of bio-security policy, commissioned new research into invasive species dispersal and eradication strategies, and formulated a plan for the on-going funding of the RIFA program. The report recommendations, fundamental changes nature of funding of the program from an annual cycle to a 10 year committed funding program. Places strict conditions on the funding and highlights the opportunity costs to the program ability of success every time resources are reallocated to deal with new invasions of RIFA or other ant species in Australia.