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No doubt you recall the following message.   I did see some TV coverage of the Fire Ant problem on Monday night 5-3-2001 TV news, but failed to gather from it government's determination to rid us of this pest immediately. We wait, but not patiently, to hear about the plan of attack and also that the government will pick up all costs involved.  The TV said that individual business were about to be ruined by this pest,  You government allowed it to happen,  so you pay, even if it's out of your pension cheque. Please keep us informed of the immediate progress or otherwise.     Demand: 1. that all imports including empty containers, bulk materials and all     other cargo on all ships and aeroplanes be properly quarantined  whereby all possibility of entry of pests is eliminated. 2. that all possibilities of the entry of Red Fire Ants or any other pest and/or diseases such as foot and mouth, mad cow etc, be eliminated. 3. That the Red Fire Ants presence be absolutely contained within the site where they have been discovered. 4  That all possibilities that may have been the cause of the entry of the Red Fire Ant's enter in to Australia be immediately ascertained and all like circumstances around Australia be advised to report on their position in regard to the import of this ant. 5. Initiate a nation wide alert to be on the lookout for and report the presence of the Red Fire Ants. 6. Make it the responsibility of all individuals involved in imports of all kinds and by all methods of transport to keep a watch for and report on the presence of any insect or any object not actually a legitimate part of the import. 7. Make it clear that the presence of introduced insects or diseases becomes everybody's responsibility to report and that it is the governments responsibility to effect immediate elimination,  at government cost 8,  that it is the responsibility of government to report to the public if procedures are not immediate put in place to contain and eliminate the problem reported. 9. That immediate action be taken to eliminate the Red Fire Ants found in Queensland and that no expense be denied to this elimination. 10. That regular weekly reports on the progress of the elimination process be made available to the Australian public via the popular media. 11. To take whatever action is required at government expense to immediately contain and eliminate the Red Fire Ant. Ken' report follows: Late Television News channel 10, Saturday the 24th of February 2001. The news reader stated that Red Fire Ants the species from South America have been found near a sea-port in Brisbane Queensland. The Ant species (Solenopsis invicta) is a stinging ant and has a sting similar to a wasp or bee and can kill or cause hospitalisation with a large number of stings. The ant migrated into the United States through Texas and has spread through agricultural farming areas causing many workers pain and suffering when they swarm and bite. A recent disaster program on television showed a huge flood in a region of the U.S. where people had to climb trees to avoid being washed away, well they were sitting ducks when the Fire Ants hitched a ride on leaves and sticks and then climbed the trees where the people were hanging onto trees, to avoid being swept away, they all were bitten by the Fire ants. The Fire Ant builds a nest underground and may have a mound on the surface, the queen may be found anywhere to 18 -20 feet underground or 5.4 metres. Australia must quarantine imports before they are released onto the  main land and any trade liberalisation policies like Globalisation must be looked at for the damage this policy can do when the quarantine inspection service is either downgraded or under funded as a solution for faster movement of goods through Australian ports. California Department of Food and Agriculture  http://www.fireant.ca.gov/ Oklahoma State University http://www.ento.okstate.edu/fireants/fireants.html Ant Charmer http://fireant.tamu.edu/index.html Ag News in Texas http://agnews.tamu.edu/graphics/fireants/fireant.html Texas Agricultural Entension Service http://bexartaex.tamu.edu/fireantspests.html