Algal Bloom

Mr McBRIDE (MacKillop) (14:45): My question is to the Minister for Tourism. What is the government doing to easily advise tourist travellers of areas that aren't affected by the algal bloom? Mr Speaker, with your leave and that of the house I will explain.

Leave granted.

Mr McBRIDE: The Robe district council says visitors are confused about where the algal bloom is active and this is putting them off from visiting even though the bloom isn't in the Robe vicinity.

The Hon. Z.L. BETTISON (Ramsay—Minister for Tourism, Minister for Multicultural Affairs) (14:45): I thank the member for MacKillop for this question. As you know, we have been very clear about information that the algal bloom is affecting about 30 per cent of our coast, so we know that the vast majority is not being impacted right now. We have been very clear about that messaging. We now have our Beachsafe app so people can check at any point, if they are wanting to go down to the beach, what is happening down there. Of course, the hotline and the algalbloom.sa.gov.au website are there for the information as well.

But I have to say that, given that we have launched our dining cash back and our travel vouchers, we have been very consistent about the coastal post codes that that covers. We cover from Coffin Bay in the west to Kingston in the South-East. I haven't heard that Robe has been impacted by concerns about the algal bloom. In fact, it was shared with me most recently by the commission that at the most recent algal bloom forum they were actually concerned with overtourism this year, so I feel like you are getting some mixed messages here. I do hope, for any information that the member needs, that I can work with him too.

I have held quite regular round tables and have met with regional tourism operators in the seat of MacKillop and of course throughout the South-East. One of the challenges we always have is that summer is incredibly popular, and you have a really unique selling point or attraction because you are so close to the Victorian border. So you do see people who own lots of holiday homes in Robe who do not live there and are not South Australians but are participating in that area. It is a great attraction.

One of the things we have been working on with the Robe council and yourself, of course, is what can we do throughout the year? This is something I am still keen to do but, as far as I am concerned, I think the issue might be that Robe might be incredibly popular, as it is every summer, and that will continue to be the norm this year as well.