PM speaks about algal bloom during his trip to SA

Latest announcements and Graeme Goodings reacts.

Listen live on the FIVEAA Player.

Follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram.

Subscribe on YouTube

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
And still holding a news conference, and this is part
of what he had to say. Thanks to seven News.

Speaker 2 (00:06):
I want to say to South Australians that the Federal
government stands side by side with you, will continue to
work constructively, will continue to provide support as it's requested
through and today we have some immediate measures as well.
Four million dollars will be made available for direct funding

(00:26):
to local government for grants to assist those cycle communities
who are dealing with these challenges. In addition to that,
we will invest two point twenty five million dollars in
targeted scientific research support, two million dollars to enhance the
monitoring and data collection of marine heat waves through the

(00:49):
csira's water quality system called aqua Watch, and two hundred
and fifty thousand dollars for our gall bloom related research
in warmed by the South Australian algle Bloom Science Panel
through the National Environmental Science Program. This is important immediate

(01:10):
support on top of the twenty eight million dollars joint
funding that we had previously announced. In addition to that,
we need to look at the issue of a significant
environmental event that we have, so tonight today we're announcing
as part of our Regional Investment Corporation funding. That is

(01:32):
a multi billion dollar fund that provides support to farmers
to manage drought. It's something that we have provided support for.
We're going to create a new stream, a significant ecological
event program in order to ensure that that longer term
support is put in place. It's very clear that slow

(01:54):
onset events like marine heat waves and algle blooms will
continue to impact our natural environment, communities and businesses. What
we will do is work with the Minister for Agriculture,
who's been working closely with relevant stakeholders to extend the
operations of the RIIC and improve those operations. So as

(02:18):
part of this work, the government will add this new
stream working through. It's a product of the discussions that
I've had with our South Australian federal members such as
Amanda and Mark Butler and others as well as this morning,
I had a chat to the Member for Mayo as well,

(02:38):
Rebecca Sharki, who's raised issues across the board but will
continue to work as well. We are obviously very concerned
about a work program over summer. I know from speaking
to the people on KI this morning that that is
an ongoing concern, but it's important that we work hand

(02:59):
in hand with the South Australian government. There's something is defined.
My government is being able to work cooperatively through conwealth,
state and also local government to deliver for local communities.

Speaker 1 (03:13):
That's Prime Minister Anthony Albanezi giving a doorstop press conference
today announcing some additional funding. Looks like about seven million
dollars on top of the twenty eight million dollars that's
always already been announced. Fourteen million State, fourteen million federal government,
four million dollars direct funding for local councils. Are two

(03:34):
point twenty five million targeted for scientific research support and
two hundred and fifty thousand dollars for aldal bloom research.
The Prime Minister is careful to call it a significant
environmental event. He still refuses to acknowledge it's a natural disaster.
The Premier calls it a natural disaster. I wonder if
he held the Prime Minister to account about that, but

(03:56):
apparently not. But he said the Prime Minister that working
side by side, we're side by side with you. It's
a bit late to the party, Prime Minister, because this
our issue has been around for six months. You were won,
not you personally. Your government was warned last year by
a group of sixteen scientists that the here was a
disaster waiting to happen. Something needed to be done. So

(04:18):
Chanya Plebisek at the time ignored the scientist's plea, Murray What.
The incoming environment minister ignored the scientist's plea. The Premier,
Peter Malanaskis was late to the party and didn't request
any help from Candra until July. Now, the environmental disaster
had been around since March, all right, progressively getting worse.

(04:41):
It didn't look all that nasty at the start, but
the potential was there and it wasn't until July twenty one.
I think it was that the Premier approach to Canberra
for help. The help we got was Murray What paid
a visit and refused to recognize that we had a
natural disaster on our hands. Here they are acting now, Yes,
that's good, thank you for that. But maybe if some
of this action had been taken twelve months ago, when

(05:03):
sciet has warned that it was in the wind, maybe
we wouldn't have got to this stage.