More than 23 years have passed since red imported fire ants were found in Brisbane and authorities have been trying to stamp them out since.
Federal senators have spent months reviewing eradication efforts in south-east Queensland and handed down their report on Thursday, April 18.
They found Australia can't afford to give up the fight, given estimates of a $2 billion annual hit to the national economy if the ants break out of the south-east and become entrenched.
Witnesses told the inquiry agricultural output could plummet by 40 per cent, the health system could be strained by an extra 100,000 medical appointments per year and native species could vanish if the high aggressive, swarming ants get away.
Other nations spend billions of dollars a year to limit agricultural losses but also to keep parks, sports fields and residential backyards fire ant-free.
Senators have called for a fresh review to determine if $1.28 billion — committed by federal, state and territory governments to 2027 — is enough, and if it isn't to come up with a new figure.
They say governments must guarantee an uninterrupted flow of cash to end the stop-start funding woes that have hampered eradication.
They want the government to consider whether a new model is needed to deliver the program, including an independent statutory agency and a nationally led commission.
And they want a national awareness campaign and more border spot checks on materials that are being moved out of south-east Queensland.
The Invasive Species Council was among those to address the inquiry and has welcomed the recommendations.
The council’s fire ants campaigner Reece Pianta said Australians must understand fire ants pose a threat to their way of life and everyone has something to lose.
"History will judge the government that walks away from fire ants very harshly, particularly while there's still a chance to do something about it," he said.
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