Call for help with big algal bloom choking coastal life
The naturally occurring algal bloom has killed tens of thousands of marine animals of almost 400 species and caused widespread disruption to commercial fisheries and aquaculture since being identified off the Fleurieu Peninsula in March.
SA senator Sarah Hanson-Young said the algal bloom was a national disaster requiring a national response, calling on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese "to come to Adelaide to stand on the beaches with me and to take some action".
"People are seeing dead fish and marine life washed up on our metro and country beaches every day, people are reporting their dogs are getting sick after walking along the beach," the Greens senator said on Wednesday.
Australian Climate and Biodiversity Foundation chair Ken Henry said the massive destruction of marine life was "not an early warning, that's a late warning".
"It's well past time that we and others in the world dealt properly with threats of climate change and the warming of the oceans, which ... lies at the heart of the catastrophe that's occurring (in SA)," Dr Henry told the National Press Club in Canberra on Wednesday.
On Tuesday, SA Environment Minister Susan Close said the bloom was a natural disaster but it did not fit the criteria of the National Natural Disaster Arrangements.
The state government was working with the federal government on ways to tackle it, she said.
A fisheries patrol vessel began underwater observations in the Gulf of St Vincent on Wednesday to understand the effect of the bloom on the ecosystem.
Opposition primary industries spokeswoman Nicola Centofanti said she was shocked the government waited almost four months to start monitoring the impact on marine life.
The algal bloom has spread along the SA coastline to the upper Spencer Gulf, the north coast of Kangaroo Island, the Fleurieu Peninsula, the Coorong and Adelaide's Port River.
Toxins linked to the bloom have been found in oysters and mussels at Port Lincoln, and harvesting at local farms has been halted for at least four weeks.
Senator Hanson-Young hosted a community forum in Adelaide on Tuesday attended by hundreds of people, and will call for a parliamentary inquiry into the algal bloom when federal parliament returns next week.
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The Age
4 hours ago
- The Age
Swing against Labor in Tasmanian election as voters punish party for snap poll
Loading Labor has ruled out doing a deal with The Greens to form government, but has left the door open to accepting supply and confidence from the minor party. The party is predicted to hold either nine or 10 seats in the new parliament, with the Liberals remaining on at least 14. Eighteen seats are needed for a majority. Greens MP Cassy O'Connor said Opposition Leader Dean Winter's move to trigger the election, by moving the no confidence motion, had cost him votes. The early election has delayed a key vote around the Macquarie Point stadium and brought fierce anti- and pro-stadium sentiment to the forefront of the campaign. The stadium project – an AFL condition of a new Tasmanian team, The Devils – is backed by Labor and Liberals but opposed by the Greens and most independents. For many, like Hobart resident Travis Price, the proposed stadium and the prospect of a Tasmanian AFL team have ignited a newfound interest in politics. 'The team and the stadium have probably been the first major thing that's got me to actually follow along with the politicians and what's important for the state,' Price said on Saturday at an election-day rally in support of the stadium. He said he voted Liberal, seeing the party as the strongest advocates for the stadium's completion. His dad, James Price, said he was a rusted-on Labor voter. But this election, he instead voted Liberal and blames Labor for bringing about the election and putting the stadium plan in jeopardy. 'They've already spent a lot of money on the stadium, we can't afford to have Labor come in with Greens or independents who don't want a stadium,' he said. However, not all football fans share the Prices' enthusiasm for the current proposal. Sharyn White, while keen for Tasmania to have a stadium, believes the deal demanded by the AFL is unfair on the state. She hopes independents emerge as the big winners on election night. 'Our politicians didn't negotiate us a good deal,' White said. 'We need reasonable people who listen to expert advice.' She was frustrated that the stadium had dominated Tasmanian politics, overshadowing critical issues such as the lack of housing infrastructure, health reform, and education. In 2023, Tasmania was granted a licence for its own AFL team, contingent on the construction of a new 23,000-seat roofed stadium. But the no stadium, no team ultimatum has since been embroiled in political turmoil, with recent polling showing roughly 60 per cent of Tasmanians oppose the contentious development. In his final pitch on Friday, Liberal Premier Jeremy Rockliff said Opposition Leader Dean Winter had put the state's progress at risk when he 'forced this unnecessary election'. 'A majority Liberal government is the only way to keep Tasmania moving forward with certainty, stability, and efficiency,' Rockliff said, warning a Labor government would rely on the Greens. But Winter said Tasmanians had 'nothing to show' for 11 years of Liberal government. 'They've mismanaged major projects like the Spirits [ferry roll-out], our finances are the worst in the nation, health waitlists are double the size they were a decade ago,' he said. While Labor has pledged not to do a formal deal with the Greens, Winter would likely need the minor party's support to form government, a scenario YouGov data suggests voters would prefer. According to the poll, 55 per cent of Tasmanians would choose Winter as premier in a hung parliament. Both Labor and The Liberals back the stadium, but with independents and anti-stadium Greens likely to play a key role in the event of a hung parliament, there is the possibility they will demand the stadium plans be dropped or altered. Just hours after polls opened, more than a thousand pro-stadium footy fans made their views heard, marching to North Hobart Oval. Aaron Hilder attended with his family and said a stadium would be a game changer for everyone in the state and the loud opposition was frustrating. 'It's so close, but we need to get it over the line,' he said. High-profile independent Kristie Johnston said the stadium project was a key 'filter question' for voters. 'We can't afford it, we don't need it, and it doesn't fit on the site,' she told this masthead. 'As soon as I say no [to the stadium] they are engaged and wanting to know more about what else I stand for in terms of health, housing and education. 'So it's not necessarily a referendum on the stadium, but it's symbolic of the underlying issues about the future of the state.' Johnston accused the AFL of treating Tasmania with 'great disdain' and said the next parliament must 'stand firm … and demand a team, but not be dictated by the AFL in terms of what the conditions for that are'. For many Tasmanians, the debate over the proposed stadium became a reflection of their broader values. As she cast her vote at a polling station on Saturday, Hobart resident Heidi Mirtl said the highly visible debate took on profound significance. 'It is the thing that becomes the centrepiece around what underpins the values people hold when they vote,' she said. Mirtl, who believes the state cannot afford the project, cited the Greens' opposition to the stadium as a key reason for her vote, arguing the priority must be the 'desperate need for housing and addressing poverty'. Influential pro-stadium independent David O'Byrne, a former Labor leader, said the prospect of a local AFL team had made politics 'white-hot' and had motivated a new cohort of voters. 'The issue crosses ideological lines,' O'Byrne said. 'There is a group that is motivated to vote strategically in support of something they feel strongly about, which is essentially delivering a Tasmanian football club that we have wanted for a generation.' Tasmania, along with the ACT, uses the Hare-Clark electoral system in the lower house. A form of proportional representation, it was recently expanded so that seven MPs, instead of five, are elected from each of the state's five electorates. This lowers the quota of votes needed to win a seat, boosting the prospects of minor parties and independents. O'Byrne, who said Labor was being blamed by many voters for causing an unnecessary election, pledged to work constructively with whoever can form government if he was re-elected. 'I won't dangle that as a threat,' he said. 'Part of the problem is you've had a couple of independents who provided that supply and confidence last time but, all of a sudden, made everything a test of the relationship and therefore [the government] collapsed.' O'Byrne resigned from Labor after failing to win preselection for the 2024 election following an internal investigation into a sexual harassment allegation from 10 years prior. The investigation found O'Byrne's behaviour was 'inappropriate and wrong' but did not constitute sexual harassment. He was re-elected in 2024 with the highest primary vote of any independent candidate.
ABC News
4 hours ago
- ABC News
New independent MP Peter George calls out Tasmania's major parties as he joins a progressive crossbench
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The Advertiser
4 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Liberals hold ground in Tassie as Labor vote tanks
Early voting in Tasmania's election points to the Liberals being in the box seat to rule, with the incumbent government's vote rising and Labor's collapsing. Saturday's vote, triggered after minority Liberal premier Jeremy Rockliff lost a no-confidence motion in early June, is the island's second in 16 months. All opinion polls have pointed to another hung parliament, with neither of the major parties gaining enough support to reach the 18-seat mark required for majority. Early tallies at 8pm (AEDT) with 14 per cent of the vote counted showed a 2.4 per cent swing toward the Liberals and a 3.9 per cent swing away from Labor. The ABC had called 12 seats for Labor, five for Labor and three for the Greens. Independent Kristie Johnston had also retained her seat. The Liberals held 14 seats coming into the poll, with Labor on 10, the Greens five and the remaining six either independents or other parties. Election analyst Casey Briggs said it was unclear if the Liberals may end the election with more than 14 seats. "The Liberal Party is looking well-placed to retain virtually all of their seats," Briggs said. "They may even gain - as we have been talking about - a fourth in Braddon while Labor is struggling to keep its 10." Labor has flagged trying to govern in minority even if they finish with fewer seats than the Liberals. Mr Rockliff and Labor leader Dean Winter have both ruled out doing a formal deal with the Greens to govern. However, Mr Winter has kept the door ajar for no-strings-attached informal supply and confidence arrangement with the Greens. "In terms of who wins the most seats, we're in a very different political environment than we have been a number of elections ago," Labor upper house MP Sarah Lovell told the ABC. "I don't know that it's fair to say that the party with the most seats automatically gets to claim victory." Liberal incumbent MP Eric Abetz said the party with more seats should get first crack at governing. "I have every expectation that at the end of tonight the Liberal Party will be holding more seats than the Labor Party," he said. The Liberals, who have been in power since 2014, have been in minority since 2023 when two MPs quit to the crossbench. Incumbent independents Kristie Johnston and Craig Garland, who are left-leaning and voted for the no-confidence motion against Mr Rockliff, are likely to be returned. It could be weeks for the final count to be completed, with the last postal votes not expected to arrive until the end of July Election eve polling by YouGov had the Liberals (31 per cent) and Labor (30) neck-and-neck, followed by backing for independents (20) and the Greens (16). There have been no big-spending promises in a campaign held under the shadow of ballooning budget debt, forecast to more than double to $13 billion in 2028. The no-confidence motion against Mr Rockliff, put forward by Labor and supported by the Greens and three crossbenchers, was critical of the budget and a bungled ferry delivery. Another key issue has been plans for a $945 million Hobart stadium, which is backed by the Liberals and Labor but opposed by the Greens and several crossbenchers. Early voting in Tasmania's election points to the Liberals being in the box seat to rule, with the incumbent government's vote rising and Labor's collapsing. Saturday's vote, triggered after minority Liberal premier Jeremy Rockliff lost a no-confidence motion in early June, is the island's second in 16 months. All opinion polls have pointed to another hung parliament, with neither of the major parties gaining enough support to reach the 18-seat mark required for majority. Early tallies at 8pm (AEDT) with 14 per cent of the vote counted showed a 2.4 per cent swing toward the Liberals and a 3.9 per cent swing away from Labor. The ABC had called 12 seats for Labor, five for Labor and three for the Greens. Independent Kristie Johnston had also retained her seat. The Liberals held 14 seats coming into the poll, with Labor on 10, the Greens five and the remaining six either independents or other parties. Election analyst Casey Briggs said it was unclear if the Liberals may end the election with more than 14 seats. "The Liberal Party is looking well-placed to retain virtually all of their seats," Briggs said. "They may even gain - as we have been talking about - a fourth in Braddon while Labor is struggling to keep its 10." Labor has flagged trying to govern in minority even if they finish with fewer seats than the Liberals. Mr Rockliff and Labor leader Dean Winter have both ruled out doing a formal deal with the Greens to govern. However, Mr Winter has kept the door ajar for no-strings-attached informal supply and confidence arrangement with the Greens. "In terms of who wins the most seats, we're in a very different political environment than we have been a number of elections ago," Labor upper house MP Sarah Lovell told the ABC. "I don't know that it's fair to say that the party with the most seats automatically gets to claim victory." Liberal incumbent MP Eric Abetz said the party with more seats should get first crack at governing. "I have every expectation that at the end of tonight the Liberal Party will be holding more seats than the Labor Party," he said. The Liberals, who have been in power since 2014, have been in minority since 2023 when two MPs quit to the crossbench. Incumbent independents Kristie Johnston and Craig Garland, who are left-leaning and voted for the no-confidence motion against Mr Rockliff, are likely to be returned. It could be weeks for the final count to be completed, with the last postal votes not expected to arrive until the end of July Election eve polling by YouGov had the Liberals (31 per cent) and Labor (30) neck-and-neck, followed by backing for independents (20) and the Greens (16). There have been no big-spending promises in a campaign held under the shadow of ballooning budget debt, forecast to more than double to $13 billion in 2028. The no-confidence motion against Mr Rockliff, put forward by Labor and supported by the Greens and three crossbenchers, was critical of the budget and a bungled ferry delivery. Another key issue has been plans for a $945 million Hobart stadium, which is backed by the Liberals and Labor but opposed by the Greens and several crossbenchers. Early voting in Tasmania's election points to the Liberals being in the box seat to rule, with the incumbent government's vote rising and Labor's collapsing. Saturday's vote, triggered after minority Liberal premier Jeremy Rockliff lost a no-confidence motion in early June, is the island's second in 16 months. All opinion polls have pointed to another hung parliament, with neither of the major parties gaining enough support to reach the 18-seat mark required for majority. Early tallies at 8pm (AEDT) with 14 per cent of the vote counted showed a 2.4 per cent swing toward the Liberals and a 3.9 per cent swing away from Labor. The ABC had called 12 seats for Labor, five for Labor and three for the Greens. Independent Kristie Johnston had also retained her seat. The Liberals held 14 seats coming into the poll, with Labor on 10, the Greens five and the remaining six either independents or other parties. Election analyst Casey Briggs said it was unclear if the Liberals may end the election with more than 14 seats. "The Liberal Party is looking well-placed to retain virtually all of their seats," Briggs said. "They may even gain - as we have been talking about - a fourth in Braddon while Labor is struggling to keep its 10." Labor has flagged trying to govern in minority even if they finish with fewer seats than the Liberals. Mr Rockliff and Labor leader Dean Winter have both ruled out doing a formal deal with the Greens to govern. However, Mr Winter has kept the door ajar for no-strings-attached informal supply and confidence arrangement with the Greens. "In terms of who wins the most seats, we're in a very different political environment than we have been a number of elections ago," Labor upper house MP Sarah Lovell told the ABC. "I don't know that it's fair to say that the party with the most seats automatically gets to claim victory." Liberal incumbent MP Eric Abetz said the party with more seats should get first crack at governing. "I have every expectation that at the end of tonight the Liberal Party will be holding more seats than the Labor Party," he said. The Liberals, who have been in power since 2014, have been in minority since 2023 when two MPs quit to the crossbench. Incumbent independents Kristie Johnston and Craig Garland, who are left-leaning and voted for the no-confidence motion against Mr Rockliff, are likely to be returned. It could be weeks for the final count to be completed, with the last postal votes not expected to arrive until the end of July Election eve polling by YouGov had the Liberals (31 per cent) and Labor (30) neck-and-neck, followed by backing for independents (20) and the Greens (16). There have been no big-spending promises in a campaign held under the shadow of ballooning budget debt, forecast to more than double to $13 billion in 2028. The no-confidence motion against Mr Rockliff, put forward by Labor and supported by the Greens and three crossbenchers, was critical of the budget and a bungled ferry delivery. Another key issue has been plans for a $945 million Hobart stadium, which is backed by the Liberals and Labor but opposed by the Greens and several crossbenchers. Early voting in Tasmania's election points to the Liberals being in the box seat to rule, with the incumbent government's vote rising and Labor's collapsing. Saturday's vote, triggered after minority Liberal premier Jeremy Rockliff lost a no-confidence motion in early June, is the island's second in 16 months. All opinion polls have pointed to another hung parliament, with neither of the major parties gaining enough support to reach the 18-seat mark required for majority. Early tallies at 8pm (AEDT) with 14 per cent of the vote counted showed a 2.4 per cent swing toward the Liberals and a 3.9 per cent swing away from Labor. The ABC had called 12 seats for Labor, five for Labor and three for the Greens. Independent Kristie Johnston had also retained her seat. The Liberals held 14 seats coming into the poll, with Labor on 10, the Greens five and the remaining six either independents or other parties. Election analyst Casey Briggs said it was unclear if the Liberals may end the election with more than 14 seats. "The Liberal Party is looking well-placed to retain virtually all of their seats," Briggs said. "They may even gain - as we have been talking about - a fourth in Braddon while Labor is struggling to keep its 10." Labor has flagged trying to govern in minority even if they finish with fewer seats than the Liberals. Mr Rockliff and Labor leader Dean Winter have both ruled out doing a formal deal with the Greens to govern. However, Mr Winter has kept the door ajar for no-strings-attached informal supply and confidence arrangement with the Greens. "In terms of who wins the most seats, we're in a very different political environment than we have been a number of elections ago," Labor upper house MP Sarah Lovell told the ABC. "I don't know that it's fair to say that the party with the most seats automatically gets to claim victory." Liberal incumbent MP Eric Abetz said the party with more seats should get first crack at governing. "I have every expectation that at the end of tonight the Liberal Party will be holding more seats than the Labor Party," he said. The Liberals, who have been in power since 2014, have been in minority since 2023 when two MPs quit to the crossbench. Incumbent independents Kristie Johnston and Craig Garland, who are left-leaning and voted for the no-confidence motion against Mr Rockliff, are likely to be returned. It could be weeks for the final count to be completed, with the last postal votes not expected to arrive until the end of July Election eve polling by YouGov had the Liberals (31 per cent) and Labor (30) neck-and-neck, followed by backing for independents (20) and the Greens (16). There have been no big-spending promises in a campaign held under the shadow of ballooning budget debt, forecast to more than double to $13 billion in 2028. The no-confidence motion against Mr Rockliff, put forward by Labor and supported by the Greens and three crossbenchers, was critical of the budget and a bungled ferry delivery. Another key issue has been plans for a $945 million Hobart stadium, which is backed by the Liberals and Labor but opposed by the Greens and several crossbenchers.
