Latest news with #SarahHansonYoung
News.com.au
4 days ago
- Politics
- News.com.au
Greens demand Prime Minister act as South Australian algae bloom nears ‘disaster', fisheries shut down
Anthony Albanese is being pressed to declare a toxic algae bloom, which has crippled South Australia's coastline and plunged seafood industries into peril, a 'national disaster'. 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 says the bloom is a 'national disaster' and therefore required a 'national response'. While algal blooms are not covered under natural or national disaster declarations, which are activated to better co-ordinate assistance between state and Commonwealth governments, work is ongoing to discern whether the event qualifies under other federal arrangements. 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. 'But today, we've had virtually nothing from the federal government.' Following a meeting between Senator Watt and the state government, the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water's Head of International Environment, Reef and Oceans has been sent to the state. Senator Watt said the government was 'deeply concerned by the widespread marine species mortalities caused by this extreme event,' and said he had been kept up to date by the Malinauskas government. 'While the science has made clear that there is no quick fix for the bloom, by having senior federal representatives on the ground we are supporting the SA government's efforts with manpower, and ramping up our ongoing monitoring efforts,' he said. 'We will give careful consideration to any request for assistance we receive from the state 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. '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. '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.
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
‘Disaster': Senator's desperate plea to PM
The Greens are demanding a national response to the rolling waves of toxic algae bloom washing up along South Australia's coastline, calling on Anthony Albanese to declare the event a national disaster. On Monday, Greens senator Sarah Hanson Young, from South Australia, said she had written to the Prime Minister for more support to address the unfolding environmental catastrophe, which has killed and polluted marine wildlife and produced discoloured water and foam along vast stretches of the state. 'For months, the coastline in South Australia has been under attack by a toxic algal bloom,' she said. 'So far, most of the response has been led by the local community without any formal government support. 'I have written to the Prime Minister because South Australians cannot be left to deal with this environmental disaster on our own. 'If there were dead fish washing up on Bondi Beach every day, there would be a national outcry and response. 'South Australians deserve the same support from our federal government that east coast states would demand.' The toxic bloom was likely caused by three interconnected factors, the South Australian Department for Environment and Water said. First, a marine heatwave, starting in September 2024, has warmed sea temperatures about 2.5C more than normal. Second, the 2022-23 River Murray floods washed extra nutrients into the sea, and third, a cold water upwelling in the summer of 2023-24 pulled nutrient-rich water to the surface. The bloom could last for months, the department warned. It does not produce long-term harm to humans, though it can cause short-term skin or eye irritation, but it is having a devastating economic impact on the state's $500m fisheries industry. Senator Hanson-Young wants state and federal inquiries into the phenomenon and a federal support package to alleviate losses. 'Our tourism industry is already reporting mass cancellations because of people deciding not to travel and stay on the South Australian coast,' she said. 'Our industries are being crippled by this climate crisis. They need support from the government and they need it now.' Senator Hanson-Young also took aim at the 'fossil fuel industry' and argued it was responsible for the bloom. 'The climate crisis is here and it is here before our very eyes and it is creating an environmental catastrophe,' she said. 'What we need is to stop making the problem worse and to start investing in mitigation and adaptation strategies. 'Sitting on our hands and hoping it will all just wash away is not realistic. 'That's why we need a federal and state push for an inquiry … and we need to make sure there is support for industry who are going to have to struggle while this bloom sticks around.' The Coalition has flagged its support for a parliamentary inquiry into the event. A federal government spokeswoman told NewsWire on Monday afternoon the government was 'closely monitoring' the event. 'We are deeply concerned by the widespread marine species mortalities caused by this extreme event,' the spokeswoman said. 'Federal agencies continue to work closely with relevant state agencies, who are leading the response in managing and monitoring coastal waters, to remain informed and engaged on these critical issues. 'Our Government will continue to find ways to support those efforts.' The spokeswoman said the government was investing in tools to improve the country's ability to 'predict climatic events, monitor ocean conditions and guide decision-making'. 'These include the Bureau of Meteorology's Ocean Temperature Outlooks, the Integrated Marine Observing System and the Environment Information Australia Portal,' the spokeswoman said.
News.com.au
07-07-2025
- Politics
- News.com.au
Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young writes to PM for algae bloom disaster declaration
The Greens are demanding a national response to the rolling waves of toxic algae bloom washing up along South Australia's coastline, calling on Anthony Albanese to declare the event a national disaster. On Monday, Greens senator Sarah Hanson Young, from South Australia, said she had written to the Prime Minister for more support to address the unfolding environmental catastrophe, which has killed and polluted marine wildlife and produced discoloured water and foam along vast stretches of the state. 'For months, the coastline in South Australia has been under attack by a toxic algal bloom,' she said. 'So far, most of the response has been led by the local community without any formal government support. 'I have written to the Prime Minister because South Australians cannot be left to deal with this environmental disaster on our own. 'If there were dead fish washing up on Bondi Beach every day, there would be a national outcry and response. 'South Australians deserve the same support from our federal government that east coast states would demand.' The toxic bloom was likely caused by three interconnected factors, the South Australian Department for Environment and Water said. First, a marine heatwave, starting in September 2024, has warmed sea temperatures about 2.5C more than normal. Second, the 2022-23 River Murray floods washed extra nutrients into the sea, and third, a cold water upwelling in the summer of 2023-24 pulled nutrient-rich water to the surface. The bloom could last for months, the department warned. It does not produce long-term harm to humans, though it can cause short-term skin or eye irritation, but it is having a devastating economic impact on the state's $500m fisheries industry. Senator Hanson-Young wants state and federal inquiries into the phenomenon and a federal support package to alleviate losses. 'Our tourism industry is already reporting mass cancellations because of people deciding not to travel and stay on the South Australian coast,' she said. 'Our industries are being crippled by this climate crisis. They need support from the government and they need it now.' Senator Hanson-Young also took aim at the 'fossil fuel industry' and argued it was responsible for the bloom. 'The climate crisis is here and it is here before our very eyes and it is creating an environmental catastrophe,' she said. 'What we need is to stop making the problem worse and to start investing in mitigation and adaptation strategies. 'Sitting on our hands and hoping it will all just wash away is not realistic. 'That's why we need a federal and state push for an inquiry … and we need to make sure there is support for industry who are going to have to struggle while this bloom sticks around.' The Coalition has flagged its support for a parliamentary inquiry into the event.
Yahoo
06-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Calls for national response as Aussie beaches turn into 'graveyards of fish'
The deadly algal bloom plaguing hundreds of kilometres of South Australia's coastline continues to inflict devastation on marine life, and demands for a national plan are intensifying as some in the state believe the "climate catastrophe" is not being taken seriously by the federal government. For months now, marine animals have been washing up dead on beaches, and last week the algal bloom reached metropolitan beaches in Adelaide. Many locals have been unable to even go for a leisurely walk along their favourite stretch of coastline without seeing dead marine wildlife at their feet. "It seems as though a walk along the beach here at Brighton has become an exercise in counting dead fish," South Australian Senator Sarah Hanson-Young told Yahoo News. "And this is horrific. "It is a graveyard of fish on our beaches, and we need proper investigation and proper federal support." The Senator is calling for a federal inquiry into the toxic algal bloom and has started an online petition, urging Aussies to sign it and show their support for a federal government-led investigation. She has also vowed to make this issue her number one objective when parliament resumes on July 22. "I will be moving for a federal parliamentary invite. This is an environmental catastrophe... South Australia needs to be upfront with the global community that we can't do this alone, and we need help," she said. Tensions have intensified since it was revealed the federal government was warned about the risk of an algal bloom long before it first hit SA shores in March. Senator Hanson-Young said this revelation is heartbreaking, believing the warnings would have been taken seriously if eastern states had been at risk. "The report that the federal government have ignored the warning signs, ignored the pleas for help and funding from scientists months and months before this took hold... is an absolute shame," she told Yahoo. "If we had dead fish and marine life washing up day after day on Bondi Beach or on the north shore of Sydney, there'd be a national outcry." 😲 Shark's worrying behaviour near coastline signals 'never seen' crisis 🦈 Investigation launched after rarely-seen shark washes up on beach 🎣 Fishermen catch fish 'rarely seen' in Aussie waters The algal bloom has not only had devastating environmental repercussions, but it's also inflicting economic instability to those in the state's fishing industry. Nathan Eatts, a sixth-generation commercial fisherman, told Yahoo News on Friday that he hasn't caught a single squid since April and likened the situation to a "massive bushfire" under the water. "We have very high costs in our industry. I personally just got a $13,000 yearly bill from fisheries, but if I can't catch any fish how am I supposed to pay it?' he said. 'It's quite stressful, I've got a mortgage too," he said. With declining supply in the ocean, and plummeting sales due to consumers being concerned about potential contamination, the current situation dire for the fishing industry. Seafood industry veteran and former TV personality Michael Angelakis has also sounded the alarm over the weekend, telling the Adelaide Advertiser that it's going to take years for the sea life and the industry to recover. "We have a drought in the sea, so we need the same considerations, the same kind of financial support and recognition that they are giving farmers," he said. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
Yahoo
04-07-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Algal bloom turns coast into a 'marine graveyard'
A massive, unstoppable, toxic algal bloom that has turned beaches into "marine graveyards" has prompted calls for a federal investigation. The microalgae, karenia mikimotoi, was identified off South Australia's Fleurieu Peninsula in March. The bloom grew to an unprecedented scale, close to the size of Kangaroo Island, at more than 4400 sq km, and as deep as 25m. It's now breaking up and has spread into most of Gulf St Vincent, including along Adelaide's beaches and south into the Coorong wetlands. There have been hundreds of reports of marine deaths, ranging from sharks and penguins to popular fishing species such as flathead, squid, crabs, and rock lobsters. Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young said the bloom was a horrific and heartbreaking "environmental catastrophe". "When parliament resumes in two weeks time in Canberra, I will be moving for a federal parliamentary inquiry," she told reporters on Friday. "We need proper investigation and proper federal support." Beaches have become "graveyards" for marine species, and the fishing and tourism industries have been significantly impacted, she said. Ms Hanson-Young claimed the federal government ignored warnings about the algae before it took hold. "It is very concerning that the country's leading marine scientists have been ignored and dismissed," she said. Experts believe there are three potential plausible contributing factors causing the bloom, the SA government said. One is a marine heatwave that started in September 2024, with sea temperatures about 2.5°C warmer than usual, combined with calm conditions, light winds and small swells. Another is the 2022-23 River Murray flood washing extra nutrients into the sea and an unprecedented cold-water upwelling in summer 2023-24 that brought nutrient-rich water to the surface. SA Environment Minister Susan Close said the bloom had lasted longer than experts thought it would. "Now that it's here, it's going to be hard to get rid of," she said. "It's easy to feel helpless, because the bloom itself is something that we can't stop." The SA government met with impacted commercial fishers, tourism operators and local councils about support packages. "It's been very, very distressing for people, and it's affected people's livelihoods," Ms Close said. The state government is also starting work on a recovery plan. This could include creating artificial reefs to help build up marine life, restocking fish into the ocean and increasing the number of marine sanctuary zones along the coast. "Although we're looking forward to the end of this experience, we cannot assume it's the last time we've had it," Ms Close said. Karenia mikimotoi is in SA's waterways and waiting to come back to life when conditions are right, she said. "This is what climate change means." OzFish previously said more than 200 species of fish, sharks and other marine creatures had been killed by the algae bloom. This includes rarely encountered deepwater sharks and leafy sea dragons, and recreational fishing species like flathead, squid, crabs, and rock lobsters. Karenia mikimotoi is toxic to fish and invertebrates but does not 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, including coughing or shortness of breath. The last large event of this type of algae recorded in SA was at Coffin Bay in 2014.
