Algal Bloom

Mr PATTERSON (Morphett) (15:05): My question is to the Minister for Environment and Water. Has the state government tested for brevetoxins in the water or foam at Glenelg's beaches?

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS (Croydon—Premier) (15:05): I am happy to take the question. The government is ramping up its brevetoxin capability, as I think I referred to in the house only yesterday. The nation is without a brevetoxin testing capability. It has always been done in New Zealand where these issues have emerged, and we have taken the initiative here in South Australia to procure and develop the nation's first brevetoxin testing capability. As I mentioned yesterday, that is happening in Thebarton at Agilex. We are very grateful for their work. As that testing capability grows so does our ability to test other elements of the environment.

The testing of the brevetoxin has principally been focused on the biggest risk of where the brevetoxin is, and that is, of course, through human consumption. The risk of that occurring is through shellfish, particularly bivalves; namely, oysters and mussels. Thankfully, we look forward to an update on this tomorrow. What we have seen is the presence of the brevetoxin reducing in many of the oyster production sites that are affected—bearing in mind the majority of oyster production sites are unaffected. Mussels have since come back online, which is good news.

We have seen that the brevetoxin in the areas that would present a risk to human health have been declining in those areas. That's not to say it is a permanent feature of this—not at all. The brevetoxin presence can go up as the volume of algae goes up. The algae itself, in some respects, can be a lead indicator for the presence of brevetoxin, but does not guarantee the presence of brevetoxin.

In fact, the brevetoxin is still, at this point, largely coming from a source that is not yet determined in terms of the specific algae species. Karenia mikimotoi, we understand, is not the producer of the brevetoxin. It is another species within the algal bloom, of which there is a very, very great number indeed, and therein lies the challenge.

What we are going to do is continue to make our judgements on the basis of science. We are speaking to as many scientists as we can, and the world's foremost experts are informing our opinion. That is what we've got to do. That is what we are going to do: we are going to make decisions on the basis of the science. The science is evolving because this is an unprecedented event, but that is our clear focus, and I would actively encourage all members of the parliament to focus in on the science and get access to the scientists rather than bouncing in to parliamentary inquiries trying to usurp the scientists or prove the scientists wrong. Rather than trying to prove the scientists wrong, maybe one of the better things we can do is to listen to what the scientists have to say.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: If the member for Morphett knows of a brevetoxin testing capability in the nation that no-one else can find, then he is welcome to furnish the house with that evidence, but in the meantime we are building that capability up in a scientifically rigorous way, because that is what good public policy demands of us for this crisis.