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Legislative Council - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2025-04-02 Daily Xml
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Shark Sighting Management

The Hon. J.S. LEE (14:32): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking a question of the Minister for Emergency Services regarding shark sighting management.

Leave granted.

The Hon. J.S. LEE: As reported in The Advertiser on 26 March, concerns were raised from Anton Covino, founder of Shark Watch South Australia, regarding ineffective and delayed communication of shark sightings provided by the authorities. Shark Watch SA, established in 2014, delivers real-time shark sighting updates to over 150,000 users through social media platforms. Despite Mr Covino's repeated efforts to collaborate with government agencies, particularly the State Emergency Service, to improve the accuracy and timeliness of shark alerts, his offers have reportedly been overlooked.

This situation persists, despite a previous announcement on 25 November 2024 of a $500,000 government funding package in collaboration with Surf Life Saving SA aimed explicitly at reducing the risk and impact of shark interactions for residents and visitors along South Australia's coastlines. My questions to the minister are:

1. Given these ongoing challenges and the recent funding commitment, what specific outcomes and improvements have resulted from the $500,000 government investment announced in partnership with Surf Life Saving SA, particularly concerning the timely communication and management of shark sightings?

2. Why have efforts by community initiatives, such as Shark Watch SA, to collaborate with government authorities on shark alerts reportedly been ignored?

3. Will the government actively engage with such community-led groups to enhance public safety?

The Hon. E.S. BOURKE (Minister for Emergency Services and Correctional Services, Minister for Autism, Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing) (14:34): I thank the member for her question. Obviously, shark attacks are a horrific experience for any community to be going through. It captures the attention of the community for good reason: it is a horrific experience to hear of and to know that families are going through.

I want to congratulate particularly the Hon. Clare Scriven for the work she has done in this space of bringing together a funding package of $500,000 in partnership with Surf Life Saving. We had a briefing for MPs two weeks ago that was coordinated by the Hon. Clare Scriven's office to provide a bit more knowledge in this space. It is not as simple as saying, 'This is one solution that we can provide,' it is really about working with the community, and that is exactly what has happened here in regard to the Streaky Bay community.

I know PIRSA and Surf Life Saving have been able to work with that community to figure out what needs to happen, and collate a report and a review into that space and really understand at a local level what is required from things such as trauma kits: being able to find an appropriate trauma kit that works and is available at seaside locations.

As was discussed at the briefing that we had for MPs, it is not as simple as just finding a trauma kit off the shelf; this has really come down to finding the right kit to be able to provide—and one that is weatherproof as well—and to have that on site and available. I know that drones have been looked into to see if they could be made available and provide training in local areas, and that training be potentially made available through Surf Life Saving across our more focused areas.

I know that Shark Watch have been in contact with the SES, and through their social media campaign as well, and I am advised that the conversation is more available and will continue about what we can do post the season.

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