Question Time

Livestock Industry

The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI (Leader of the Opposition) (14:20): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking a question of the Minister for Primary Industries on livestock health.

Leave granted.

The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI: Yesterday in the chamber, when asked a supplementary question about whether the minister could provide the potential effects of the trial to release 50 gigalitres of water containing blue-green algae downstream on livestock, the minister replied, and I quote, 'I believe I have answered that, in terms of the impacts, in terms of it being a non-toxic species.' When further pressed on whether the minister could confirm that it was indeed entirely non-toxic the minister replied, and I quote, 'I have answered that.' On review of Hansard, the minister said in her answer to the question on blue-green algae sludge entering South Australia that, and I quote:

In recent months, the Lower Darling River, including upstream of Weir 32 and the Menindee Lakes, has been affected by a widespread bloom of predominantly non-toxic blue-green algae. To date, the bloom has posed no immediate threat to potable water supplies or fish health.

The minister spoke about the possible impacts from the movement of high volumes of blue-green algae into the Murray including odour issues and increased treatment load and associated costs, but did not touch on the potential impacts on livestock drinking non-potable water. So my questions to the minister are:

1. Can she update the council on the possible impacts of toxic blue-green algae on livestock that are drinking the non-potable water from the Murray here in South Australia?

2. Noting her comments about the bloom being predominantly non-toxic blue-green algae, can she guarantee farmers that the incoming flush will not contain toxic blue-green algae nor have a negative health impact on the livestock drinking the water?

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Minister for Forest Industries) (14:22): I thank the honourable member for her question, which she has answered in the preamble to her question.

The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI: Supplementary, Mr President.

The PRESIDENT: I will listen to your supplementary—

The Hon. K.J. Maher interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: I will do my job. You do your job, alright? Just everyone stay calm. Supplementary question, the honourable Leader of the Opposition.