South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas says he was left "stunned" by allegations that government staff were instructed not to investigate the cause of the state's massive algal bloom until after the March election.
Ecologist's Explosive Allegation to Inquiry
The political storm erupted after ecologist Faith Coleman told a parliamentary inquiry that three staff from three separate government agencies had been directed to hold off on investigating the bloom until after polling day on March 21. The bloom, first detected in March last year, grew to an estimated 4500 square kilometres and caused the deaths of thousands of fish and other marine life, with regular reports of rotten carcasses washing up on beaches.
Government Denial and Mounting Pressure
Premier Malinauskas strongly denied any such directive was ever issued. "I'm happy to categorically rule out that this was never discussed in any meeting that I or any other ministerial representative has been at," he stated. However, he acknowledged he could not speak for every public servant across the state. The government says Coleman has provided no evidence to support her claims, with the Premier revealing she told officials she had none to give when contacted.
Opposition environment spokesperson Ashton Hurn labelled the claims "scandalous" and said they warranted further scrutiny, noting the sheer size of the public service. Crossbench MP Rob Simms is among those calling for a broader review, suggesting it should also examine the culture within the government. The Algal Bloom Committee is scheduled to meet for an urgent sitting on Friday.
Bloom Subsides But Questions Remain
Authorities gave the all-clear last month for multiple beach sites, registering zero levels of the harmful algal species karenia. Labor MP Lucy Hood said monitoring results showed encouraging signs of improvement. Despite the improving environmental situation, the allegations have cast a long shadow, with pressure mounting on the government to launch a formal investigation into the claims of delayed action.
