South Coast Algal Bloom

The Hon. C. BONAROS (14:54): Supplementary: can the minister also confirm that in reality, and the reason why the threshold was actually reduced was because, in the not too distant future, we expect most of the sorts of businesses referred to to actually meet the current thresholds and limits that apply to the grant?

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Minister for Forest Industries) (14:54): I must say, the question was a little bit unclear. I am not sure if the honourable member was saying: do we expect that with the reduced thresholds most businesses in South Australia in the seafood sector would be eligible? Is that what the question was?

The Hon. C. BONAROS: No, that businesses are going to reach the threshold regardless. It's just a matter of time.

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN: The situation with the algal bloom obviously is evolving on a daily basis. We are all doing our best to be able to anticipate how it may behave and therefore what the impacts will be. As I have mentioned in a number of fora in recent weeks, there are three things that could occur. The first, and the one which I am sure we would all agree would be the best, would be if the weather conditions do result in the bloom dissipating. Each day it continues in its scale is obviously lessening the likelihood of that being the outcome.

The second is that the bloom may reduce or maybe even go away, but then return perhaps in the summer months or at some time in the future; and the third is that it will continue throughout and into the summer period. Obviously, the number of grants that would be applied for and paid will depend on which of those scenarios eventuates.