Legislative Council Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1) 55 1 Parliament of South Australia Legislative Council published Question Time Algal Bloom Algal Bloom The Hon. T.A. FRANKS Legislative Council Algal Bloom The Hon. T.A. FRANKS (14:27): Supplementary: does the minister not think that the algal bloom management and the Senate inquiry is worth discussing in this place, and will she continue her answer? The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN Legislative Council Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development Minister for Forest Industries Algal Bloom The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Minister for Forest Industries) (14:27): Given we've got sincere interest from the Hon. Tammy Franks on the algal bloom, I am very happy to continue, based on her sincere interest in this rather than the politicisation that we see from those opposite. As I was saying, we commenced with some round tables. The science was already being undertaken certainly from April onwards, if not prior to that. There has been a huge effort, and I would like to certainly indicate that we have very much appreciated the stakeholders—whether they be environmental stakeholders, whether they be business stakeholders, whether they be businesses specifically in the fishing industry as well as the recreational sector—for their positive engagement in terms of dealing with what is an unprecedented situation. This is the biggest assistance package to business, I think, that we have probably seen in the state ever is my guess. We have a combined figure from the federal government and state government of over $130 million to look at, first of all, the science, to look at the environmental impacts, to look at how we can do things such as restocking, the increase in oyster reefs, the assistance to small businesses, the assistance to the fisheries sector, the dining voucher reimbursements, assistance to regional communities by encouraging people to go to those areas, and the assistance to businesses in coastal communities, both metropolitan and regional. Those who are sincerely committed to trying to support businesses and our communities and our environment through this algal bloom have been happy to work with government.