A Brisbane City councillor has launched an online petition calling for a crack down on mosquito populations in the city’s mangroves and wetlands.

Deagon Ward Councillor Jared Cassidy told Scott Emerson the drastic increase in Ross River Fever cases warrants immediate action, with 710 residents in the Metro North region diagnosed this year.

“It’s not just an amenities issue, or an annoying backyard issue; what we are now finding is that it’s actually a health and safety issue.

“We’ve seen over the last couple of years … a significant underspend in the mosquito-spraying budget.

“There’s a serious problem there.”

Click PLAY below to hear the full interview

To sign the petition, click HERE.

Image: Facebook/Councillor Jared Cassidy