Biosecurity review launched after fire ant nest went undetected for years
Inspector-general to examine surveillance gaps after Sydney discovery triggers national concerns
The federal inspector-general of biosecurity has launched a nationwide review of biosecurity measures, beginning with the case of an established red imported fire ant nest found under concrete at Sydney's Enfield Intermodal Logistics Centre, where the site was only required to be checked every three years. The discovery, made in September and disclosed to the public two weeks ago, has prompted urgent scrutiny of surveillance policies designed to stop one of the world's worst invasive species from spreading.