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Legislative Council - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2025-10-14 Daily Xml
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Algal Bloom

The Hon. H.M. GIROLAMO (Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (15:16): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking a question of the Minister for Primary Industries regarding the harmful algal bloom.

Leave granted.

The Hon. H.M. GIROLAMO: During an ABC radio interview yesterday, the Premier said, and I quote, 'A lot of people refer to the algal bloom as the toxic algal bloom. It's not toxic.' This is in stark contrast to respected environmental scientist Faith Coleman, who was quoted on ABC news last night as saying, and I quote, 'We are getting a lot of mixed messages through this bloom, and we know that it is toxic to fish because they are dying.' My question to the Minister for Primary Industries is: does the minister stand by the Premier's comments—

The Hon. I.K. Hunter interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: The Hon. Mr Hunter!

The Hon. H.M. GIROLAMO: —that the algal bloom is not toxic?

The Hon. I.K. Hunter interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: I am hoping the minister heard the question, because I am sure as hell I didn't, the Hon. Mr Hunter. Minister, did you hear the question?

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Minister for Forest Industries) (15:17): I think I heard the question. Again, I refer to my earlier comments in regard to always taking with a huge pinch of salt anything that those opposite are purporting to reproduce through quotes, or indeed through committees. If those opposite had been listening to the Premier's interview, I recall that he was talking about humans being at the beach. It was part of the discussion around the summer plan. If I recall correctly, Dr Faith Coleman referred to it being toxic to fish and that it was only toxic to humans if you consumed something like 10,000 litres of seawater.

I don't know about those opposite, but my understanding is that, generally, when people go to the beach they don't consume 10,000 litres of saltwater. Those opposite may believe anything; we have seen before that they may believe anything. Indeed, maybe they have used ChatGPT to look up something like this. What we do see, really sadly and very disappointingly, is those opposite deliberately trying to foment confusion, deliberately trying to push misinformation, instead of actually working collaboratively as responsible South Australians, responsible people in this parliament, to actually help South Australia—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN: —get through the harmful agal bloom, to actually help South Australians get through the harmful algal bloom, to help South Australian businesses who are affected to survive through the harmful algal bloom, and to help our South Australian environment get through the harmful algal bloom. Instead of behaving in a collaborative way and trying to help South Australians, they want to play politics. They want to try to chase headlines instead of taking a responsible approach.

I think that, at the election next year, South Australians will remember how irresponsible those opposite have been, and they certainly should—they certainly should. They should actually think about being constructive, as indeed we were during COVID. They should think about being constructive instead of trying to chase headlines. Those opposite—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN: Those opposite have a track record of misinformation and misleading parliament. I think they should cease and desist.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

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