Yorke Peninsula Council has taken its algal bloom advocacy all the way to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

Acting Mayor Richard Carruthers was part of a delegation of South Australian mayors, industry leaders and marine experts that travelled to Canberra to seek more bloom support on August 28.

The delegation’s three key appeals were to create a national framework recognising large-scale marine mortality events, secure funding for community wellbeing and resilience, and establish permanent baseline coastal and marine monitoring and data collection.

They met with the prime minister, Leader of the Opposition Sussan Ley, various ministers, and almost every South Australian Senator, Mr Carruthers said.

“It was important for Yorke Peninsula to be represented as part of this delegation, as council has persistently fought for our region to be recognised as the worst affected by the harmful algal bloom,” he said.

“To make our case directly to the prime minister, opposition leader and so many other key decision makers in Canberra was an important step toward getting more help for our community.

“They know who we are, they know that we are affected, and that is really important.

“It is great to see several things we have asked for — expanded business grant support, environmental resilience projects, marketing support and a tourism voucher scheme —already happening, but there is more work to be done.”

The prime minister spoke about the algal bloom in parliament on the day of the delegation’s visit, after Shadow Minister for the Environment Angie Bell asked him “why do countless communities and small businesses in South Australia … have to pay for the cost of Labor’s inaction?”

Mr Albanese said the bloom was not a result of “any single government action” and that his government had provided “every bit of funding that we have been asked for”.

“(The funding is) not just to combat the effects of the algal bloom but to improve preparedness for future events,” he said.

“Now, does anyone think that abolishing our commitment to net zero and action on climate change will make these events more likely or less likely to happen in the future?

“This issue is directly related to climate change.

“(The Coalition) has said that they’re having a nine- to 12-month review over whether their support for net zero will continue.”

The delegation followed other efforts by YPC, including presenting to state cabinet and other political and stakeholder representatives, hosting public meetings, marketing initiatives, tourism discounts and fee relief for professional fishers.

The SA Government will host algal bloom forums at Edithburgh Institute tomorrow (Wednesday, September 10) and Ardrossan Town Hall on Thursday, September 11, both from 5.30pm to 7pm.

To register, visit algalbloom.sa.gov.au/home/community-forums.

 Senate inquiry public hearing in Ardrossan

A public hearing will be held at Ardrossan this week as part of the Australian Senate’s inquiry into the algal bloom.

The hearing will be at Ardrossan Community Club on Thursday, September 11; more information at tinyurl.com/44ku7tfd.

Yorke Peninsula Council is set to participate, as well as having submitted a written response to the inquiry last month; submissions closed on August 22.

The hearing is being conducted by the Environment and Communications References Committee, chaired by Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young from SA.

Public hearings are also being held in Seacliff, Port Lincoln and Victor Harbor this week.

Audio will be streamed at aph.gov.au. 

This article appeared in Yorke Peninsula Country Times, 9 September 2025.