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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2025-10-30 Daily Xml
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Algal Bloom

Mr TELFER (Flinders) (14:59): My question is to the Premier. Did the government consult with the SA Oyster Growers Association or other oyster growers or industry in the destination zone before making the decision to move oysters from an algal bloom area to the non-affected West Coast? With your leave, sir, and that of the house, I will explain.

Leave granted.

Mr TELFER: I don't want to have duelling statements from SAOGA, but to quote a statement from the South Australian Oyster Growers Association:

This decision was made with no consultation with SAOGA, sharing of recent scientific evidence, decision making matrix, other industries/stakeholders or local communities…SAOGA have asked for the conditions of the translocation to be shared but this has also been denied.

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS (Croydon—Premier, Minister for Defence and Space Industries) (15:00): I am happy to follow that up.

An honourable member interjecting:

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: Isn't that what you want me to do? I would have thought that's what you want us to do. Like I said, we have no interest in creating unnecessary risk. We only have interest in supporting the industry, which we've done consistently throughout this. We've certainly spent a lot of money on that, and will continue to do that if it's necessary. So more than happy to follow that up.

I'm aware that there are some people who don't support the decision. I'm also aware of the fact that the people who do support the decision aren't likely to be heard of very much. But if there are any issues that the association has or anybody else we're happy to chase them down. We've been working with the association and other representatives of commercial seafood producers in this state extremely collaboratively. We have sought to accommodate every single one of their requests where we can.

We don't suggest for a moment that government always has all the answers. We have been, though—I've been making sure and asking the questions of PIRSA and SARDI to satisfy ourselves that they're doing the work that is required here to make the right judgement call, acknowledging that someone somewhere always has to make a judgement call. The responsibility of government means that you accept that, and there'll be people who have a different view. But I'm more than happy to chase that up and will engage with the association from my office.

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