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

Algal Bloom

The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI (Leader of the Opposition) (14:55): My question is to the Minister for Primary Industries on the topic of algal bloom and fish kills. Why has the Malinauskas Labor government still not made a formal request for the algal bloom to be declared a natural disaster, despite overwhelming evidence of economic and environmental disaster and devastation?

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Minister for Forest Industries) (14:55): I thank the honourable member for her question.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN: I do appreciate that those opposite don't understand teamwork. Fortunately, those of us on this side do.

The PRESIDENT: Minister, get on with your answer.

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN: I am very pleased to be part of the team on this side.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN: Various members of our government have made numerous statements of requests in regard to the algal bloom being declared a natural disaster, a national disaster. This is a very significant issue here in South Australia that has an impact on our coastal communities, on our fisheries, on our way of life and on our environment. This is something that we have been working on for many, many months, and we have been working closely with the federal government.

Our announcement today in regard to more than $102 million for the second round of support, assistance, research and so on is funded fifty-fifty by the federal government. This really speaks to the fact that our focus has been and continues to be on how we can assist the South Australian community in terms of those very important impacts.

As I mentioned, there are environmental impacts, and we are seeing that across all of the areas of our coast that are affected. We are seeing the economic impacts, particularly on fisheries and aquaculture licence holders but also on businesses in coastal areas or businesses that provide goods and services in relation to fishing, in relation to beachside lifestyles and beachside visitation—tourism businesses. We are also seeing the many impacts on people's health and wellbeing.

We have put together, by working with industry, by working with stakeholders in the environmental areas and by working with business, a very comprehensive package, and we are very pleased that the federal government has funded that fifty-fifty.

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