Algal bloom update

The algal bloom crisis continues to impact local fishers and seafood and tourism businesses, and I was pleased that another forum was held at Minlaton last Thursday night to provide further information on what actions governments are taking.

Details of the $28 million support package now on offer were provided, with funding going into science and research, coastal monitoring/testing and clean up, distribution of public information, business recovery services and financial relief payments.

Of the latter, Small Business Support Grants of $10,000 are available for eligible small businesses, and one-off funding of up to $100,000 for eligible hardest hit commercial fisheries and aquaculture licence holders is on offer via the Algal Bloom Fisheries and Aquaculture Assistance Grant program (application deadline 12 September 2025; refer the Grants tab of this website for further information).

I remain frustrated that it has appeared to take the algal bloom reaching metropolitan shores for numbers of politicians to believe in the urgency of a required response.

It was 6 June when I called for answers in relation to the ongoing environmental harm from the toxic bloom, and now more than two months (16 June) since my motion urging action was passed in the chamber. Suffice to say, the impact since, on local businesses and our tourism sector overall, has been considerable with no end yet in sight.

Parliament back after the winter break

Parliament resumes next Tuesday and on the agenda is my introducing a Bill to amend the National Energy Retail Law (South Australia) Act 2011 to secure appropriate financial compensation for households and businesses impacted by extended power outages through no fault of their own.

There is an existing small claims scheme available for outages caused by voltage surges and I seek to expand this to include losses caused by extended outages. Stay tuned on this important topic.  

Thrington Road

I am pleased that after advocacy (since August last year) to make the Thrington Road/Mines Road intersection near North Yelta safer, the 80 km/hr signage has been shifted after community calls for this action.

Whilst we wanted the Give Way signage to be replaced with Stop signs at the actual intersection, this extension of the 80 km/hr speed zone past the intersection is a good, first outcome. 

Thank you to the Councillor Brent Walker, CFS and real estate representatives, residents and holiday-makers who contacted me on this issue, validly concerned by the alarming "near-miss" crashes they were seeing. 

I believe further improvements are necessary, including a redesign of the intersection and/or a merge lane, and will continue to push for this.

Grants

The SANFL/State Government SA Football Facilities Fund program has re-opened, offering various levels of funding for football club projects such as new changerooms, lighting, oval improvements, and infrastructure such as new scoreboards, backing nets, goal posts and coaching boxes.

For further information on this program (and other grants) visit the Grants tab of this website.