Algal Bloom

Ms PRATT (Frome) (14:20): My question is to the Minister for Health and Wellbeing. Has the government issued a media release on the changed health advice on harmful algal bloom, either on or since Thursday 4 September? If not, why not?

The Hon. C.J. PICTON (Kaurna—Minister for Health and Wellbeing) (14:21): As has been traversed in the previous answers from the Premier, as soon as we had the task force meeting there was a press conference that was held, with all the media in attendance. It was discussed by Professor Steer that there had been a preliminary test result and there had been an update in terms of the health advice for asthmatics, and the advice was immediately provided publicly through the SA Health website. Of course, Dr Cunliffe also presented to the Senate committee, and we have had a number of press conferences since, with both myself and Professor Spurrier, to be able to answer questions.

Of course, the advice is not—as was suggested by the first question from the Leader of the Opposition—that people with asthma should not go to the beach. That is not the health advice. The advice is that people with asthma should carry their reliever with them because this can be an allergen and this can be equivalent to what we would regard as pollen count. There can be allergens that can affect people's asthma. So the health advice—the advice has come to the government and the advice that we have released publicly—is not to say that people shouldn't go to the beach; it is to make sure that they have their reliever with them and that they have an up-to-date asthma management plan, as we would reasonably expect people with asthma to be doing all the time in any event.