1. 18 NEWS thesundaymail.com.au
Mosquito
vaccines
off to US
Ant staffers
Kathleen Donaghey
A BRISBANE scientist who
developed four potentially life-
saving vaccines has been
forced to sell his technology to
the US.
‘indifferent’
Kelmeny Fraser
Dr William Ardrey created
a dengue vaccine and West A PROGRAM to eradicate fire ants was
Nile virus vaccine as well as doomed to fail because it relied on field staff
genetically engineered pro- with no motivation to unearth new infestations,
teins for Hendra and Ross a former team leader claims.
River vaccines. Ron Nash (pictured) spent years working for
Australia’s famed Gardasil the State Government’s fire ant program, at
creator Professor Ian Frazer times supervising up to 80 field staff. Shaky ground: Sunday Mail coverage last
was a scientific adviser to He said that hiring the long-term unem- week of the fire ant issue.
the project. ployed to search for the pest at the peak of
As warnings intensify about the crisis proved ‘‘virtually devastating
the spread of killer diseases, to the program’’. recommended as the best chance of stopping
including the southern mi- ‘‘The Government hired people fire ants but had been rejected by the State
gration of dengue, the vaccine who were virtually unemployable,’’ Government amid concerns of a public back-
technology is now in Ameri- Mr Nash said. ‘‘At least 60-75 per lash, leaving the job to field workers.
can hands because Australia cent of the young people hadn’t A government source told The Sunday Mail
would not support it. worked before (and) weren’t the limited aerial baiting that was conducted
Dengue is considered interested in working.’’ sparked dozens of public complaints and a
Queensland’s greatest tropical Enthusiastic field work- more extensive program would have triggered
disease threat. ers struggled with motiv- a mass outcry over the perceived health risks.
The risk of it hitting south- ation after more than a Last week the LNP pledged an independent
east Queensland is considered year of searching with- review of the fire ant eradication program
high as rainfall intensifies out finding a single nest, should it win office.
and more people install rain- sources said. Biosecurity Queensland control centre
water tanks. Former senior gov- deputy director Craig Jennings said a rapid
Council inspectors dis- ernment policy officer recruitment and selection process was required
covered a dengue mosquito on fire ants, whistleblower to fill more than 500 positions in the early
egg in Gin Gin earlier Pam Swepson, said wide- stages of the fire ant program, but said the
this month. spread aerial baiting had been workforce had proven dedicated and effective.
Growing threat to Brisbane
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Page 18 MAY 29 2011
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