PRESSURE is building on the Palaszczuk government to increase its efforts in managing Queensland’s tick line.
Set against a backdrop of an increasing number of tick outbreaks in the clean zone since management regulations were relaxed in 2016, producers are becoming increasingly concerned that the tick line may no longer provide a effective barrier against the $156 million a year pest.
In one recent incident ticky cattle were on the loose for a week before being captured after escaping from a truck being cross-loaded at Guluguba.
In another incident a Taroom grazier in the clean zone has seen cattle deaths as a result of red water fever, a disease only transmitted by ticks. It is unclear how the disease was spread, but is thought to have possibly come from cattle bought in a so-called ‘clean’ saleyards.
Member for Callide, Colin Boyce, said the worry was that there seemed to be little urgency associated with preventing such outbreaks.
“Queensland’s clean area is being compromised,” Mr Boyce said.
“The tick line is not being policed and there are certainly no prosecutions. The tick outbreaks that are occurring are not being properly communicated.
“We need to be focused not just on maintaining the integrity of the tick line, but also on eradicating ticks.”
A delegation from the Wandoan/Taroom region, which attempted to meet with Agriculture Minister Mark Furner, said ticks could be eradicated as had been shown some 20 years ago.
Bill Blackley, Biloela, Wandoan, said the original tick line had previously been located a few kilometres south of Wandoan.
“A producer driven tick eradication scheme with support and assistance from the then DPI was implemented which resulted in the whole of the Taroom Shire being declared tick free,” Mr Blackley said.
“The tick line was shifted back to the watershed north and east of Taroom. A shift of about 130km, involving 427 properties, 220,000 cattle, and 7000 square km area. It involved a lot of planning, a lot of work and expense for producers involved but it was a very successful scheme.
“It now means we don’t have to chemically treat cattle to manage ticks, there is no loss of production from ticks, no deaths from tick fever, free access to all southern markets in Queensland, NSW and Victoria.”
Mr Blackley said the integrity of the tick line was paramount as producers were rightly concerned about chemical residues being detected in meat.
“(A detection) will decimate the export market of beef in Australia, especially in Queensland,” he said.
AgForce tick committee chairman Justin Boshammer said Biosecurity Queensland need to supply more transparent data on tick outbreaks.
