A Senate inquiry has found that South Australia was unprepared for the devastating toxic algal bloom that emerged in March, citing a lack of long-term monitoring and research. The 207-page report, chaired by Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young, was tabled on Thursday and includes 14 recommendations for improving future responses.
The report states that the state government's lack of preparedness created barriers to determining the exact causes of the harmful algal bloom (HAB) and assessing its impacts. It calls for increased federal funding for long-term oceanographic research and a national framework to declare climate-induced ecological events.
The algal bloom, first reported on the Fleurieu Peninsula, spread across the Gulf of St Vincent, growing to over 4,000 square kilometres by May and causing widespread marine deaths. In July, the state and federal governments announced a $28 million support package, but the report criticises the federal government for initially not declaring the event a national disaster.
Senator Hanson-Young said the report's wording was agreed unanimously by all committee members, including Labor. She accused governments of being 'ill-prepared and asleep at the wheel' and stressed the need for better long-term support for communities, industry, and the environment.
Premier Peter Malinauskas defended the state's response, describing the bloom as an unprecedented ecological event beyond human control. He said the government is focused on science-based policy and rejected armchair criticism, adding that he is open to ideas but noted no silver bullet exists.
