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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2025-11-11 Daily Xml
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Algal Bloom

Mr BASHAM (Finniss) (14:33): My question is to the Minister for Climate, Environment and Water. Were there resource issues that resulted in the lack of baseline water-quality monitoring during the 2023 year, and how can the minister be confident in the government's conclusions without baseline data? With your leave, sir, and that of the house, I will explain.

Leave granted.

Mr BASHAM: On questioning during the algal bloom committee, the marine principal scientific officer, Mr Sam Gaylard, said that water-quality monitoring in 2023 was 'unable to be sampled due to resourcing issues'.

The Hon. L.P. HOOD (Adelaide—Minister for Climate, Environment and Water) (14:33): I thank the member for his question. Undertaking water-quality testing is something that does occur on around a five-year rotation at various sites. One of those that was undertaken recently on which we have published a report was into the Gulf of St Vincent. We saw some positive signs within that report in terms of the baseline testing for that area, which we will then be able to compare when we undertake subsequent testing to look at the impact of the bloom, particularly in the Gulf of St Vincent.

We saw a reduction in that nutrient testing as part of that report and also some positive signs around seagrass recovery. That is why, as part of our $102.5 million summer plan, we are investing in nature's own recovery tools like seagrass restoration and native oyster reef restoration, because we know that that can create a bit of a defence system against potential harmful algal blooms.

In terms of FTEs within the EPA, for example, in 2019-20 there were 197.3 FTEs in the EPA compared to this financial year where there are 214, so we have actually seen more FTEs in the last financial year than in 2019-20. Around that time of the testing there were 201 FTEs, so when you compare it to the year 2019-20, when the Liberals were in government, there are more FTEs there.

We heard, as part of that committee, that one staff member was taking a long-term break—to my understanding he was completing his PhD—but they had people backfill that position, and I understand that they also recruited for that position. It is also important to note that this five-year rotation of various testing was the same policy and the same situation that occurred under the Marshall Liberal government. It is also important to note that there were times when testing didn't occur under the former Marshall Liberal government, such as in 2020.

I understand that the EPA will now be able next year to conduct this continued monitoring in the Gulf St Vincent, and that will provide us with a really important comparison between the report that was undertaken and published recently into the nutrient levels in the Gulf St Vincent, and we will be able to have a comparison report. Whether that testing is undertaken in August of next year will depend on the extent of the bloom but what we have seen is some positive news in the last couple of weeks regarding the Karenia testing and the Karenia cell counts. As I said in my earlier question, we have seen two weeks of reduction in the Karenia cell counts at 14 of 21 metropolitan sites, which is great news, and so we are cautiously optimistic but we continue the monitoring and we continue to back the science and research.

The SPEAKER: Before I call the member for Finniss, the front bench on my right is getting way too loud.

Mr Whetstone: You said there were no warnings left.

The SPEAKER: One has no warnings left, but he was quiet; but I have been watching him. Thanks for your assistance, member for Chaffey.

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