Rebekha Sharkie (Mayo, Centre Alliance) Share this | Hansard source

South Australia is in the grips of two natural disasters: the ongoing drought across large parts of our state affecting our primary producers and rural communities; and the environmental disaster along our coastlines and in our oceans—the toxic algal bloom, unprecedented in terms of scale, impact and duration. It was back in March this year that the harmful algal bloom was first identified in a couple of popular fishing spots in Mayo, in Waitpinga and in Parsons Beach. In Mayo we take in the Adelaide Hills, the Fleurieu Peninsula and Kangaroo Island. We have more than 715 kilometres of coastline, a coastline that's been ravaged by this harmful algal bloom.

This outbreak might have first been recognised in our patch of the world, but it now stretches along metropolitan Adelaide, the Yorke Peninsula and across the Eyre Peninsula, and it's made its way into one of the most fragile ecosystems—the Coorong. If you're unfamiliar with the Coorong, it's at the mouth of the River Murray and it's a RAMSAR site. It's a wetland recognised for its international importance. Concerningly, testing has confirmed the presence of this toxic algae in the Coorong north lagoon.

What is causing this environmental disaster? Algae are naturally occurring and found globally in saltwater and freshwater, but some algae produce toxins. When that grows excessively it becomes incredibly harmful, and that's what's happened in South Australia. Experts believe this toxic bloom has been caused by several factors: a marine heatwave sending water temperatures at least two degrees above normal; and a nutrient influx from the floods that came down the River Murray.

Where does this leave us? If we look at the Coorong, locals and scientists say the bloom has been causing severe ecological damage, killing off species including coastal crabs, snails and worms—species essential for food sources for both fish and shorebirds. On our beaches, locals describe areas as a marine graveyard—and it is horrific to see. More than 14,000 marine deaths have been reported, affecting more than 400 species. And that's just what people have found washed up; goodness knows what's happened out in the ocean. We're talking about fish, stingrays, sharks, sea dragons, sand crabs and so much more. It's an environmental catastrophe, nothing short of a natural disaster, and it is devastating to witness.

Then there are the socioeconomic impacts for coastal communities and industries such as commercial and recreational fishing, aquaculture, tourism and beach recreation. There are potential health consequences too, and some of my constituents report symptoms akin to an allergic reaction, respiratory issues, eye itches, sneezing and rashes. Right now, we have no idea how long this bloom will last or where it will move next. That's where we are right now.

The next question is: what can be done and how should the federal government help? I'm encouraged by the $14 million investment by the South Australian government into research, real-time monitoring and community and business support, and it's good to see the federal government has matched that amount. But, really, that spend, from a federal perspective, is like a drop in the ocean. It does not come close to recognising the magnitude of this disaster. It is a national crisis. This harmful bloom might be in South Australia now but it could potentially cross into other states, and we need further investment in science to determine what causes these blooms and where and when they might occur in the future. This information will help communities plan for future bloom events and their impacts.

The Great Southern Reef Foundation has been calling for baseline monitoring across the reef, which stretches from Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria, Tasmania and all the way along the New South Wales coast. The federal government invests in monitoring the Great Barrier Reef and we should be investing in the Great Southern Reef. We've already got facilities like the Goyder institute's Coorong Lower Lakes and Murray Mouth Research Centre—often known as CLLMM—which, if provided with additional funding and parameters, is well positioned to monitor the frequency and intensity of algal blooms in the Coorong and Lower Lakes region and to do research, more broadly, on issues affecting the climate.

As far as what can be done to address the environmental disaster, marine experts from across the world are largely at a loss. But science must inform decision-making for the future, and we must invest in science. We need to invest to help our communities that are being so terribly impacted by this dreadful algal bloom crisis.

See this speech in context