Appropriation Bill (No. 1) 2025-2026 Consideration in Detail – Environment

Australians have lost trust in this government. That’s absolutely the truth, because actually only one in three Australians voted for Labor at the last election. And why is that? Well, uncertainty, lack of accountability, soaring inflation, record government spending, foreign-policy failings and inaction on the environment—inaction that can be seen firsthand, as the harmful algal bloom in South Australia continues to ravage coastal communities.

Department officials told the Senate inquiry last month that they were not aware of the impact of this devastating bloom until the end of May. But wasn’t the first detection back in March? That’s quite a few months. Didn’t prominent South Australian scientists first raise the alarm and request funding for monitoring with then Minister Plibersek two years ago, and again when Minister Watt entered the portfolio? But Senator Watt wasn’t formally briefed on the issue until two months later. The waters off the South Australian coast may be murky, but this timeline that the department and the minister were working on is even murkier, so let’s look back at the events of March and clear up that murky timeline.

Surfers started to report falling ill after visiting an affected beach in mid-March. Towards the end of March, numerous reports surfaced of dead fish washing up on beaches. It was devastating for the locals. South Australia’s Environment Protection Authority confirmed the bloom and that Karenia mikimotoi had been detected. But wait—didn’t the department say that they weren’t aware of the impact until the end of May? So it’s no wonder South Australians have lost trust in this government. It then took 10 days—10 days—for the minister to even visit the state, following the formal briefing. I know you’ve all seen the PR shot of him at West Beach. For those who are not from South Australia—as I am, or was, originally—West Beach is not very far from the airport; in fact, it’s around three minutes in the car.

Since that desperate, last-minute dash and abysmal funding package, let’s take a look at some of those sea-creatures that have suffered: 61 leafy seadragons—beautiful creatures; 604 Port Jackson sharks; 2,000 fiddler rays; 287 bluespotted goatfish. These are just a fraction of the thousands upon thousands of dead marine creatures, including dolphins, that have washed up on South Australian beaches. The death toll has now ballooned to over 34,000 creatures. This algal bloom can cause suffocation and death.

But it isn’t just marine life suffering; it’s the people of South Australia: the tourism operators, the small businesses, the fishers. They’ve all been let down by the state and federal governments. Skin irritation, rashes, coughing fits and sneezing—that’s the reality for most who come within 300 metres of their tainted beaches.

Just last week the government announced an algal-bloom hotline. Can I ask the minister representing the environment minister: how much is that hotline costing taxpayers, and is that coming out of the existing funding allocation that was meant to support the clean-up and scientific research and to keep businesses afloat? I have some news for you, Minister: those affected cannot even access the available financial relief because of the layers of bureaucracy. Bart Butson, who I met with twice, is just one of the many fishos who cannot access financial support due to the ridiculous criteria. Their spin doctors are working overtime to have you think that this Labor government is the saviour for South Australians. But—newsflash, Minister—South Australians are not mugs. No, they’re not. They can see right through your spin. This bloom is double the size of the ACT and can now be seen from space. It’s clear that South Australians have been hung out to dry by their governments. This environmental catastrophe is being completely and utterly mismanaged by this government under this minister. Governments at both levels failed to act for months, and, when they did take notice, it was too little and too late. When they did act, it was evident that there was a major gap in communications between state and federal governments, as evidenced in last month’s Senate inquiry.

Why did it take the department over two months to become aware of the issue, and why did it then take another two months for the department to brief the minister? This is mismanagement. This is an utter disgrace. All Australians, including by the minister for Adelaide’s beaches, Mark Butler, have been let down. What else will be mismanaged in the environment portfolio this time? I call on the minister representing the Minister for the Environment and Water to front up and answer these questions. The minster could at least be in this chamber, as coalition ministers were during consideration in detail under our government.