A Queensland family have been forced to barricade themselves in their own home to avoid the plague of bats in their backyard.

The colony of tick-ridden bats leave disease-ridden droppings all over the family’s Mount Isa home, meaning the kids haven’t been able to play outside for two months.

Bat populations are an increasing problem across Queensland and NSW, but this family isn’t able to do anything about them as the state government has to approve any action taken against the animals.

The Katter Australian Party is pushing for the state government to allow local councils to make decisions surrounding the approval processes.

Queensland MP Robbie Katter tells Ben Fordham councils should be given “unfettered rights” and funds to handle the issue.

“If you said to, in this instance, Mount Isa Council ‘guys, do whatever you want short of shooting the bats’.

“We get these ideologies from extreme environmentalists that believe the rights of the bats are greater than those of people.”

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