Queensland Anti-Fire Ant Leader Convicted of Obstructing Officers

The Queensland leader of an organisation opposing the eradication of fire ants has been convicted of obstructing government officers after a magistrate dismissed his claims that the commonwealth-funded program was illegal. Trevor Hold, who serves as the chief executive officer of the Australian Advocacy Group, was fined $1,500 without a recorded conviction following the incident last month in Adare.

Hold attempted to prevent officers from entering his property on 16 April for its scheduled annual fire ant treatment under Queensland’s Biosecurity Act. The legislation requires landholders to permit access for treating declared priority pests. However, Hold and other organisations had previously advised residents that they could legally refuse access by citing a reasonable excuse provision within the act. During the incident, a small group of supporters gathered to film and shout while Hold blocked a gate, leading to his arrest by Queensland police after a dynamic confrontation.

Before magistrate Leanne Scoines, Hold raised multiple defences, arguing that he felt intimidated by authorities, that police ignored his reasonable excuse based on unilateral notices sent to the Department of Primary Industries, and that the prosecution failed to prove the program was properly authorised. Magistrate Scoines rejected all three arguments, noting that the officers were acting correctly under the Biosecurity Act and stating that Hold was not a credible witness.

Anti-fire ant activist Trevor Hold was convicted and fined $1,500 for obstructing government eradication officers.

Legal expert and Southern Cross University professor David Heilpern compared Hold's defence strategy to arguments frequently employed by the sovereign citizen movement, particularly regarding the concept of withdrawing consent from established laws. Hold has since appealed the magistrate's decision to the district court and continues to raise funds for his legal defense and potential class action lawsuits.

Why it matters

This court decision clarifies that landholders cannot legally obstruct government biosecurity operations by withdrawing consent or using quasi-legal notices. It reinforces the authority of state eradication programs to access private land to manage high-priority pests like fire ants.