Leah Blyth (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Stronger Families and Stronger Communities) Share this | Hansard source

Today I rise so the voices of Port Clinton in South Australia and other regional coastline communities can be heard in this place. I add them to the growing list of people deeply concerned about the impact of the devastating algal bloom off South Australia's coastline.

Port Clinton, like many other coastal regional towns, is home to a community of people. Many rely on the sea for their livelihood. Their collective success or failure is intertwined. Last week Michelle from Port Clinton invited me to visit her incredible community to see and hear firsthand how the algal bloom is impacting their daily lives, their businesses, their children and their community. Many of them are at their wits' end. The caravan park is struggling for bookings. It was empty over the recent school holidays, and they're concerned about what that means for the October long weekend and the upcoming Christmas and summer holidays. Commercial and recreational fishermen haven't caught a fish in months. They're looking for direction and a plan from both the state and federal governments. It's fair to say that, so far, they've been disappointed. They want to know if it's safe to go down to the beach and if it's safe to clean up the dead fish, sharks and rays that wash up daily. They want some transparency on how long the bloom will be around. They're already struggling with cost-of-living pressures, and their income, moving forward, is uncertain. They're hoping the upcoming Senate inquiry will provide answers, transparency and a united effort, as they want a plan and a pathway to recovery.

The tourism website spruiking their beautiful town describes it as having 'wide, sandy beaches perfect for crabbing, fishing and relaxing'. Right now those beaches and the community don't know what the future holds. The people of Port Clinton, like so many other communities in South Australia, need our help.