A Senate Inquiry into South Australia’s Algal Bloom issue begins this week, with hearings held across the state before wrapping up in Canberra later this month.

The Fleurieu Hearing will be on Friday 12 September at the Victor Harbor Bowling Club. 

A Senate hearing is part of Australia’s Federal parliamentary process where Senators gather evidence from communities, industry and experts. 

It’s a chance for locals to share their experiences, raise concerns, and help shape future government policy and decisions.

At Victor Harbor, the Senate Committee will hear directly from:

•  Local industry (Cape Calamari, Southern Fishermen’s Association, Southern Rocklobster Ltd)
•  Tourism operators (Spirit of the Coorong, Big Duck Boat Tours, Kangaroo Island Tourism Alliance)
•  Councils (Coorong, Alexandrina, Kangaroo Island, City of Victor Harbor)
•  Research and environment bodies (Goyder Institute, Hills & Fleurieu Landscape Board)
•  Community groups and individuals (Australian Red Cross, local surfer representatives, Ngarrindjeri Regional Authority)
•  Academic experts (University of Adelaide, UniSA, Society for Ecological Restoration Australasia)

This hearing is open to the public and locals are welcome to attend and be in the audience.

Other public hearings will be held at Seacliff on 9 September, Port Lincoln on 10 September, Ardrossan on 11 September, with the final meeting in Canberra on 24 September.

There will also be a joint parliamentary inquiry into the algal bloom crisis after the Liberal Opposition, the Greens and some independents joined together in the Upper House.

The inquiry will look at the state government’s response and the impact of the bloom on the environment, economy and communities.

Finniss MP and Shadow Environment Minister David Basham raised questions in state parliament last week about the state government’s failure to properly investigate the devastating algal bloom continuing to impact Fleurieu waters.

He says reports of a recent fish kill at Waitpinga have heightened local concern, yet the government has still not undertaken the underwater surveys that he formally requested in July. 

“The latest government algal bloom report states that the bloom now extends from Deep Creek to Rosetta Head (The Bluff), and also south of Goolwa beaches and is likely to have contributed to the Waitpinga Fish deaths.” 

Meanwhile a ‘Hands Across the Sands‘ event at Seacliff Beach on Saturday saw hundreds of people call for more action on the algal bloom from federal and state governments.