| Biosecurity Queensland’s National Red Imported Fire Ant Eradication Program (the program) is proposing to develop a market segmentation project as a basis to inform its required future communication and engagement activities.
In July 2017, funding of $411.4 million was endorsed by the Agricultural Minister’s Forum for the program to deliver a 10 year eradication plan to eradicate fire ants from Australia. This funding is supported by all Australian states, territories and the Commonwealth Government.
As part of the 10 year eradication plan, communication and engagement activities will be closely aligned to the treatment, surveillance and prevention of human-assisted spread activities outlined in the Plan.
It has been acknowledged that market research will be critical to understanding target audiences’ behaviours and the way they interact with the program i.e. how they absorb information and what motivates and drives them. This will inform the program’s messaging and help define the most effective tools to use to influence and encourage target audiences’ active participation in each phase of the 10 year plan.
The outcome of this research is to provide the program with an evidenced-based ‘snapshot’ of its target audiences, in order to inform its future development and implementation of targeted communication and campaign activities across south east Queensland, as part of a newly approved 10 year fire ant eradication plan.
The outcomes of the project should help the program decipher how and when to differentiate its communication, and what groups to concentrate with at given times. The focus of this project is the first phase (knowing more about the attitudes, values, beliefs and behaviours) of those involved. A review of existing policy or communication approaches would follow as a second phase of a later project and is outside of the scope of this engagement.
Ultimately the market segmentation work is aimed to support the program’s key communication and community engagement goals to:
- raise awareness amongst target audiences to encourage
• passive surveillance
• reporting of fire ant detections
• adhering to their general biosecurity obligation for treatment efficacy
• compliance with movement controls
- build and continue relationships and promote advocacy amongst government agencies, industry and community champions to improve and extend message reach
- promote the successes, commitment and investment of the program in its efforts to eradicate red imported fire ants from SEQ
- Promote Australia’s commitment and support for the program and its goals
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