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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) (14:37): My question is to the Minister for Climate, Environment and Water. Will you apologise to coastal communities and seafood operators who were left uninformed for months while this toxin-producing algae spread throughout South Australian waters?

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS (Croydon—Premier, Minister for Defence and Space Industries) (14:38): That is the exact type of question that is doing active harm to businesses in South Australia. We know that there has been very clear information put out to the South Australian community about the presence of brevetoxin in the algal bloom from the start, and I believe that the member for Finniss knows that well too.

In the member for Finniss's electorate he would have spoken to businesses that have been impacted by the harmful algal bloom, just as I have, in his own community. He would know that there are people who haven't been visiting Victor Harbor, Goolwa and Middleton because people are fearful of the harmful algal bloom. So when the member for Finniss gets up and suggests or directly says that there are people in this state who have been withheld information around the presence of the brevetoxin—which simply does not accord with the facts or the public record—he is exacerbating the fear in the community that is doing so much harm.

What I will say to the member for Finniss is: examine your question and ask yourself, and your conscience, whether or not you are sincere about wanting to make sure your constituents get the business they deserve. There has not been algae on the south coast for months. The member for Finniss knows that every South Australian has been told, through the public record, about the presence of brevetoxin for a long period of time, with clear and consistent public health advice, but the member for Finniss seems to find it all too easy to stand up here and ask a question based on completely misleading information. That is not an approach that does justice to the legitimate needs that exist in the community.

I simply say to the member for Finniss, and all those opposite, as we see the Karenia cell counts reduce in a way that we hope is sustained, we sincerely hope that you join us in making sure that we get the communications right, that you are not running misinformation, that you are running a course of accuracy in terms of what we are telling the community so they can make well-informed decisions that do not unnecessarily impact the small businesses that you purport to represent. We want to make sure people can make informed decisions on the basis of public health advice as best as possible, but when people are constantly running political interference, that has real-world consequences.

Do you know what? When we have been at all the public forums—and I understand there have been lot of them—what has really impressed me is that when people are given the information in a thorough way, people get it. They are not silly. They want to know the facts, they want to make informed judgements, and when they can ask all the questions of public health officials and us that are not filtered through your social media or your members in the Legislative Council, they get it.

Time is on the side of those who want to put a greater value on accuracy than on misinformation. That is why this government will remain steady and calm in ensuring that we disperse only accurate information—rather than misinformation, as the member for Finniss sought to do.

The SPEAKER: Before I call the member for Narungga, I would like to pass on my congratulations on the safe arrival last month of his son, Francis George Ellis, and wish the member and all his family all the very best with the new arrival.

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