Personal Explanation

Algal Bloom

Mr BASHAM (Finniss) (19:30): I seek leave to make a personal explanation.

Leave granted.

Mr BASHAM: Today, during question time, we had questioning of my commitment to the electorate of Finniss. This is simply insulting to me and my constituents. It is untrue and misrepresents the events in the period identified by the Premier, March through to June 2025. Being local members, you would think the Premier and the Minister for Environment would have some idea of how questions are derived. They come from the community you represent, so to imply that I am asking questions to make the situation worse for my community is laughable.

These questions have been brought to me by local business owners and residents who want clarity and transparency about this issue. They want to refer their customers to specific scientific data so they can give confidence to visit, swim or use their services. During the first week the harmful algal bloom was identified, Monday 17 March, I wrote to the government requesting a briefing on health issues, which I was granted. I immediately shared information with my community.

On 18 March, my office wrote to the Minister for Health and the previous Minister for Environment to offer to work in a bipartisan manner. I shared updates on my social media by sharing government agencies' information during the rest of March, and I have continued to do so. Both the minister and the Premier must have forgotten that I asked my first question on the harmful algal bloom on 3 April.

So much for the government working in a bipartisan manner: I was excluded from a community leaders briefing on 9 April, even after asking directly to be a participant. This non-bipartisan approach was highlighted on 3 July when the Minister for Primary Industries claimed the opposition were trying to create fear and panic when the opposition called for support for fishers affected by the bloom.

Amazingly, when the Premier came back from leave, the government announced support for fishers. The Minister for Environment and the Premier have got on their feet in this chamber and have misrepresented me. I have highlighted key events to identify particular misrepresentation. I have prepared a more detailed chronology of events that I will publish, which demonstrates (1) my commitment to bipartisanship, (2) my commitment to my constituents and all South Australians, and (3) my commitment to identify relevant facts based on scientific evidence.