At the time, Cr Tully likened fire ants to the rabbit and the cane today saying they would never be stopped in Australia.
In 2001, Cr Tully called for additional state and federal funding to curb the spread of the fire ant.
"Ministers and bureaucrats were quick to claim it was all under control.
"The federal government needs to respond nationally and pump more money into eradicating the fire ant.
"This will soon become a nationwide problem while bureaucrats dither over the issue," Cr Tully said.
