Opposition Leader Sussan Ley is set to visit South Australia on Wednesday as the region grapples with a worsening algal bloom crisis. Ley’s visit comes just a week before Prime Minister Anthony Albanese plans his first inspection of the affected areas. The state government is preparing for potential beach closures this summer, prompting Premier Peter Malinauskas to urge the federal government to declare the situation a natural disaster. Such a declaration would trigger additional funding to support the fishing, tourism, and other impacted industries.
Federal Environment Minister Murray Watt will also be in Adelaide on Wednesday. He has committed $14 million in one-off funding but argues that the algal bloom does not meet the criteria typically associated with natural disasters like fires and floods. During Albanese’s anticipated visit next week, he is expected to unveil a new funding package aimed at addressing the crisis, which has reportedly resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of marine creatures.
“We are, as a government, very concerned. This isn’t something that’s the fault of any government; it’s a consequence of nutrients and high water temperatures,” Watt stated. He noted that a variety of environmental factors are contributing to the situation across Australia.
Scientists attribute the algal bloom to the 2023-24 Murray River flood, which has introduced an excess of nutrients into the sea, combined with higher-than-average ocean temperatures influenced by climate change. Both state and federal governments are anxious that their slow response could adversely affect Australia’s bid to host the 2026 Conference of the Parties global climate change summit in Adelaide.
Health Minister Mark Butler, a South Australian himself, acknowledged three weeks ago that the federal response had been “a bit slow” given the crisis had been developing since February. “The best time to have done this would have been some weeks ago, maybe even a few months ago, but the second-best time is now,” Butler remarked after Watt’s initial visit.
Watt stirred further controversy on Monday when he expressed regret to South Australians for “the perception” that both the federal and state governments have been slow to react. Meanwhile, Malinauskas faces pressure as he was on holiday in July while the situation escalated, drawing comparisons to former Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s trip to Hawaii during the 2019 bushfires.
Ley has criticized Albanese, asserting that he must apologize to the communities affected by the crisis. “He should front up to these communities, look them in the eye, and also apologize to South Australians for his government’s failures,” she said. “You can bet if this crisis was hitting Sydney or Melbourne, Anthony Albanese would have acted sooner. It is clear South Australians have been overlooked.”
On May 27, 2023, a group of 16 marine scientists expressed growing concern over ocean warming in southern waters. They reached out to Watt seeking a meeting and $4 million in annual funding to improve monitoring of the crisis, both requests were declined. This group, part of the Great Southern Reef Research Partnership, had initially approached former environment minister Tanya Plibersek in October 2023 for funding to establish a national monitoring program, but their proposal was similarly rejected.
With the algal bloom presenting significant environmental and economic challenges, the coming days will be critical for both the South Australian government and federal authorities in navigating this crisis.
