Greens demand PM act on toxic bloom
The naturally-occurring but harmful algal bloom has plagued the state's beaches for months, killing marine life and plunging the seafood industry into crisis.
Reports have emerged of dead fish, rays and sharks washing up along the metropolitan coastline – including North Haven between the river mouth and marina breakwater, Tennyson Beach, north of Grange jetty, and south of Christies Beach Surf Life Saving Club.
Several mussel farming sites around the Port Lincoln area have also been shut after shellfish toxins were detected in the area. Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young has called on the Prime Minister to respond to the growing algae bloom 'disaster' in South Australia. NewsWire / Martin Ollman Credit: News Corp Australia
Greens senator Sarah Hanson Young has says the bloom is a 'national disaster' and therefore required a 'national response'.
She called on the Prime Minister and federal Environment Minister Murray Watt to visit Adelaide and 'take some action'.
'If this was happening in Bondi, or on the North Shore in Sydney, the Prime Minister would have already been on the beach, talking to concerned locals and the affected industries,' Senator Hanson-Young said on Wednesday. Reports have emerged of dead marine life washing up along areas of SA's metropolitan coastline. Stefan Andrews / Great Southern Reef Foundation Credit: Supplied More than 200 marine species have been recorded as dead due to a toxic algae bloom in South Australia. Supplied Credit: News Corp Australia
'But today, we've had virtually nothing from the federal government.'
South Australia's flagship fisheries patrol vessel Southern Ranger has been deployed to inspect the bloom and help authorities understand its impact.
Senator Hanson-Young, the Greens' environment and water spokeswoman, said this should have been happening 'weeks and weeks ago' – pointing out SA's fishing and tourism industries were being 'smashed'.
'Our environment is dying, and our community is alarmed,' she said. The algae bloom was first detected in March. Supplied / Great Southern Reef Credit: Supplied
'This is the climate crisis unfolding before our very eyes, and South Australia can't handle it on our own.'
Senator Hanson-Young said she would be moving for a federal inquiry into the crisis when parliament resumes.
In their latest update on Wednesday, the SA Department of Environment and Water said the algae – known as Karenia mikimotoi – had been detected in the Port River.
Elevated levels were found by authorities along the metropolitan coastline, while 'very high' levels were at the Garden Island and Outer Harbor boat ramps.
It was first detected on the Fleurieu Peninsula in March. The bloom quickly spread to other waterways after it was detected in the Fleurieu Peninsula four months ago. Stefan Andrews / Great Southern Reef Foundation Credit: Supplied
'State government agencies are taking weekly water samples at 17 sites across West Lakes, the Port River, the Patawalonga River and the end of four jetties at Largs Bay, Grange, Glenelg and Port Noarlunga,' the department said in their update.
The South Australian opposition has already called for a royal commission to explore the origin and consequences of the algae and what could have been done to manage the situation, the ABC reports.
Authorities believe a marine heatwave in September last year could have contributed to the bloom.
Flooding in the Murray River over 2022 and 2023 washing extra nutrients into the sea, or an unprecedented cold-water upwelling over the summer of 2023-24, may also have contributed.
The last large event of this type of algae recorded in SA was at Coffin Bay in 2014.
Karenia mikimotoi is not known to cause long-term harmful effects in humans but exposure to discoloured or foamy water can cause short-term skin or eye irritation and respiratory symptoms.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Perth Now
an hour ago
- Perth Now
Labor to introduce student debt-slashing bill into parliament
Labor will on Wednesday introduce its signature student debt-slashing legislation on the first proper sitting day of the new parliament. The proposed relief, a key election policy, would cut HECS by 20 per cent for some 3 million graduates, or take about $5500 off the average student debt. Total savings would amount to $16bn, according to Labor. It would also raise the repayment threshold for student loans from $54,000 to $67,000. While Labor commands a massive 94-seat majority in the House of Representatives, the Senate is another matter. Camera Icon Labor is about to introduce its signature student debt-slashing bill. Martin Ollman / NewsWire Credit: News Corp Australia With the Greens holding the balance of power, they can effectively pump the brakes on key legislation – something members of the minor party have already said they would do to negotiate their own agenda. 'While every bit of student debt relief is good, what the government is doing by wiping some student debt doesn't even touch the sides of the issue,' Greens education spokeswoman Mehreen Faruqi said on Tuesday. 'The core of the problem is indexation. 'Unless indexation is removed, students will be in this hamster wheel always chasing their debts, which keep getting bigger and bigger.' While Senator Faruqi said her party would push for amendments, NewsWire understands the government is confident the opposition will support it. Speaking to Sky News, Coalition education spokesman Jono Duniam said he also expected his side to back the bill. 'It was an issue, one of the centrepieces of the government's agenda at the last election and obviously we had a view that was not supported by Australians, so we'll work with them,' he said. 'We have our concerns, they remain. We'll talk about those, but I expect them to pass parliament.' More to come.
News.com.au
an hour ago
- News.com.au
Labor to introduce student debt-slashing bill into parliament
Labor will on Wednesday introduce its signature student debt-slashing legislation on the first proper sitting day of the new parliament. The proposed relief, a key election policy, would cut HECS by 20 per cent for some 3 million graduates, or take about $5500 off the average student debt. Total savings would amount to $16bn, according to Labor. It would also raise the repayment threshold for student loans from $54,000 to $67,000. While Labor commands a massive 94-seat majority in the House of Representatives, the Senate is another matter. With the Greens holding the balance of power, they can effectively pump the brakes on key legislation – something members of the minor party have already said they would do to negotiate their own agenda. 'While every bit of student debt relief is good, what the government is doing by wiping some student debt doesn't even touch the sides of the issue,' Greens education spokeswoman Mehreen Faruqi said on Tuesday. 'The core of the problem is indexation. 'Unless indexation is removed, students will be in this hamster wheel always chasing their debts, which keep getting bigger and bigger.' While Senator Faruqi said her party would push for amendments, NewsWire understands the government is confident the opposition will support it. Speaking to Sky News, Coalition education spokesman Jono Duniam said he also expected his side to back the bill. 'It was an issue, one of the centrepieces of the government's agenda at the last election and obviously we had a view that was not supported by Australians, so we'll work with them,' he said. 'We have our concerns, they remain. We'll talk about those, but I expect them to pass parliament.'
The Advertiser
3 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Political leaders return to parliamentary battlefield
Pomp and ceremony out of the way, federal politicians will get back to work as parliamentary business resumes. The 48th parliament officially opened with a day of pageantry, which included a traditional church service and smoking ceremony before politicians were sworn in. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition Leader Sussan Ley will square off in parliament as rival party leaders for the first time on Wednesday. Education Minister Jason Clare will deliver on Labor's election promise by introducing legislation to the lower house to slash university debt for three million Australians by 20 per cent. The coalition is expected to support the move which will wipe $16 billion off student debt but is waiting to see the fine print. People with an average HELP debt of $27,600 will have $5520 wiped from their loans. The government has also said it will this week introduce childcare reform aimed at improving safety measures. Labor returns to parliament with a lion's share of 94 seats, to the coalition's 43 in the lower house. Melbourne MP Sarah Witty, who defeated former Greens leader Adam Bandt at the election, gave a heartfelt first speech to parliament on Tuesday evening. She tearfully spoke of enduring "heartache after heartache" for more than a decade after experiencing pregnancy loss. "We grieve deeply," she said. "I opened myself to a new path. I stepped into the world of foster care, not out of ease, but out of a deep need to turn my pain into something positive." Ms Witty said her experience taking care of children in need would shape her approach as an elected parliamentarian. Griffith MP Renee Coffey, who wrested back Kevin Rudd's old seat for Labor from the Greens, spoke of the kindness former rival Max Chandler-Mather had shown her following a confronting interaction with a voter. "On election day, I was stunned when a voter told me he couldn't possibly vote for me because I have MS and he couldn't be represented in parliament by someone who could be in a wheelchair," she said. "It knocked the wind out of me. In a strange turn of fate, it was the then-member for Griffith, Max Chandler-Mather, who saw me step away from that interaction. "And the kind words of support he offered me, I will never forget." Pomp and ceremony out of the way, federal politicians will get back to work as parliamentary business resumes. The 48th parliament officially opened with a day of pageantry, which included a traditional church service and smoking ceremony before politicians were sworn in. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition Leader Sussan Ley will square off in parliament as rival party leaders for the first time on Wednesday. Education Minister Jason Clare will deliver on Labor's election promise by introducing legislation to the lower house to slash university debt for three million Australians by 20 per cent. The coalition is expected to support the move which will wipe $16 billion off student debt but is waiting to see the fine print. People with an average HELP debt of $27,600 will have $5520 wiped from their loans. The government has also said it will this week introduce childcare reform aimed at improving safety measures. Labor returns to parliament with a lion's share of 94 seats, to the coalition's 43 in the lower house. Melbourne MP Sarah Witty, who defeated former Greens leader Adam Bandt at the election, gave a heartfelt first speech to parliament on Tuesday evening. She tearfully spoke of enduring "heartache after heartache" for more than a decade after experiencing pregnancy loss. "We grieve deeply," she said. "I opened myself to a new path. I stepped into the world of foster care, not out of ease, but out of a deep need to turn my pain into something positive." Ms Witty said her experience taking care of children in need would shape her approach as an elected parliamentarian. Griffith MP Renee Coffey, who wrested back Kevin Rudd's old seat for Labor from the Greens, spoke of the kindness former rival Max Chandler-Mather had shown her following a confronting interaction with a voter. "On election day, I was stunned when a voter told me he couldn't possibly vote for me because I have MS and he couldn't be represented in parliament by someone who could be in a wheelchair," she said. "It knocked the wind out of me. In a strange turn of fate, it was the then-member for Griffith, Max Chandler-Mather, who saw me step away from that interaction. "And the kind words of support he offered me, I will never forget." Pomp and ceremony out of the way, federal politicians will get back to work as parliamentary business resumes. The 48th parliament officially opened with a day of pageantry, which included a traditional church service and smoking ceremony before politicians were sworn in. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition Leader Sussan Ley will square off in parliament as rival party leaders for the first time on Wednesday. Education Minister Jason Clare will deliver on Labor's election promise by introducing legislation to the lower house to slash university debt for three million Australians by 20 per cent. The coalition is expected to support the move which will wipe $16 billion off student debt but is waiting to see the fine print. People with an average HELP debt of $27,600 will have $5520 wiped from their loans. The government has also said it will this week introduce childcare reform aimed at improving safety measures. Labor returns to parliament with a lion's share of 94 seats, to the coalition's 43 in the lower house. Melbourne MP Sarah Witty, who defeated former Greens leader Adam Bandt at the election, gave a heartfelt first speech to parliament on Tuesday evening. She tearfully spoke of enduring "heartache after heartache" for more than a decade after experiencing pregnancy loss. "We grieve deeply," she said. "I opened myself to a new path. I stepped into the world of foster care, not out of ease, but out of a deep need to turn my pain into something positive." Ms Witty said her experience taking care of children in need would shape her approach as an elected parliamentarian. Griffith MP Renee Coffey, who wrested back Kevin Rudd's old seat for Labor from the Greens, spoke of the kindness former rival Max Chandler-Mather had shown her following a confronting interaction with a voter. "On election day, I was stunned when a voter told me he couldn't possibly vote for me because I have MS and he couldn't be represented in parliament by someone who could be in a wheelchair," she said. "It knocked the wind out of me. In a strange turn of fate, it was the then-member for Griffith, Max Chandler-Mather, who saw me step away from that interaction. "And the kind words of support he offered me, I will never forget." Pomp and ceremony out of the way, federal politicians will get back to work as parliamentary business resumes. The 48th parliament officially opened with a day of pageantry, which included a traditional church service and smoking ceremony before politicians were sworn in. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition Leader Sussan Ley will square off in parliament as rival party leaders for the first time on Wednesday. Education Minister Jason Clare will deliver on Labor's election promise by introducing legislation to the lower house to slash university debt for three million Australians by 20 per cent. The coalition is expected to support the move which will wipe $16 billion off student debt but is waiting to see the fine print. People with an average HELP debt of $27,600 will have $5520 wiped from their loans. The government has also said it will this week introduce childcare reform aimed at improving safety measures. Labor returns to parliament with a lion's share of 94 seats, to the coalition's 43 in the lower house. Melbourne MP Sarah Witty, who defeated former Greens leader Adam Bandt at the election, gave a heartfelt first speech to parliament on Tuesday evening. She tearfully spoke of enduring "heartache after heartache" for more than a decade after experiencing pregnancy loss. "We grieve deeply," she said. "I opened myself to a new path. I stepped into the world of foster care, not out of ease, but out of a deep need to turn my pain into something positive." Ms Witty said her experience taking care of children in need would shape her approach as an elected parliamentarian. Griffith MP Renee Coffey, who wrested back Kevin Rudd's old seat for Labor from the Greens, spoke of the kindness former rival Max Chandler-Mather had shown her following a confronting interaction with a voter. "On election day, I was stunned when a voter told me he couldn't possibly vote for me because I have MS and he couldn't be represented in parliament by someone who could be in a wheelchair," she said. "It knocked the wind out of me. In a strange turn of fate, it was the then-member for Griffith, Max Chandler-Mather, who saw me step away from that interaction. "And the kind words of support he offered me, I will never forget."
