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| SA premier declares algal bloom a ‘natural disaster’ as Greens warn ‘Adelaide beaches today could be Bondi tomorrow’ | |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Peter Malinauskas says politicians do themselves a disservice ‘when they get caught up in technicalities’ | Peter Malinauskas says politicians do themselves a disservice ‘when they get caught up in technicalities’ |
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| The South Australian premier has said the state’s algal bloom catastrophe, which has caused mass deaths among hundreds of marine species, should be described as a natural disaster as the Greens warn the crisis is a sign of things to come for the country. | |
| Speaking to the ABC’s News Breakfast program, Peter Malinauskas warned “politicians can do themselves a disservice when they get caught up in technicalities”. | Speaking to the ABC’s News Breakfast program, Peter Malinauskas warned “politicians can do themselves a disservice when they get caught up in technicalities”. |
| The federal environment minister, Murray Watt, announced a $14m assistance package on Monday but stopped short of declaring the crisis a natural disaster because he said it did not meet the relevant definitions under the federal natural disaster framework. | The federal environment minister, Murray Watt, announced a $14m assistance package on Monday but stopped short of declaring the crisis a natural disaster because he said it did not meet the relevant definitions under the federal natural disaster framework. |
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| “From the South Australian government’s perspective, I want to be really clear about this. This is a natural disaster … I think politicians can do themselves a disservice when they get caught up in technicalities,” Malinauskas said. | “From the South Australian government’s perspective, I want to be really clear about this. This is a natural disaster … I think politicians can do themselves a disservice when they get caught up in technicalities,” Malinauskas said. |
| “This is a natural disaster and should be acknowledged as such. | “This is a natural disaster and should be acknowledged as such. |
| “There are over 400 different species of marine life that have been killed off or have had deaths as a result of this algal bloom.” | “There are over 400 different species of marine life that have been killed off or have had deaths as a result of this algal bloom.” |
| According to records, it has killed over 13,800 animals, but experts predict the figure is much higher. | According to records, it has killed over 13,800 animals, but experts predict the figure is much higher. |
| Malinauskas said he used the words natural disaster “quite deliberately” but that the disaster differed from other emergencies, such as bushfires, that Australians were familiar with. | Malinauskas said he used the words natural disaster “quite deliberately” but that the disaster differed from other emergencies, such as bushfires, that Australians were familiar with. |
| “This is so entirely unprecedented we don’t really know how it’s going to play out over coming weeks and months ahead,” he said. | “This is so entirely unprecedented we don’t really know how it’s going to play out over coming weeks and months ahead,” he said. |
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| Watt visited South Australia on Monday to view the effects of the toxic algal bloom that has littered the state’s beaches with masses of dead fish, rays, sharks, dolphins and other marine life. | Watt visited South Australia on Monday to view the effects of the toxic algal bloom that has littered the state’s beaches with masses of dead fish, rays, sharks, dolphins and other marine life. |
| It followed pressure from the South Australian community for the federal government to offer immediate support for affected places and businesses. | It followed pressure from the South Australian community for the federal government to offer immediate support for affected places and businesses. |
| As parliament returned on Tuesday, Greens’ environment spokesperson and South Australian senator, Sarah Hanson-Young, described the $14m as a “downpayment” and called on the government to “get out of their bureaucratic spin” and “declare this the emergency it is”. | |
| The Greens said the first private member’s bill the party would introduce in the new parliament would be a bill proposing a “climate trigger” under Australia’s national environmental laws. | |
| Hanson-Young said the catastrophe that was “crippling” communities in her home state showed the real damage the climate crisis was causing to the environment and to businesses. She confirmed she would also move this week for the establishment of a parliamentary inquiry into the algal bloom disaster. | |
| “It is South Australia’s beaches that are today being littered with the rotting carcasses of marine life and 1000s of fish, dolphins, other marine life,” she said. | |
| “It’s Adelaide beaches today, but it could be Bondi tomorrow, and that is why we need rules and responses that are fit for the crisis we face, the modern issues that we need to grapple with, these challenges that are facing us.” | |
| On Monday night, Anthony Albanese said federal funding had been timed “appropriately” given the event was unfolding “primarily in state waters”. | On Monday night, Anthony Albanese said federal funding had been timed “appropriately” given the event was unfolding “primarily in state waters”. |
| “Events do occur in our environment,” the prime minister told ABC’s 7.30. “What is important is that there be a response. We’re responding, giving support to the South Australian government.” | “Events do occur in our environment,” the prime minister told ABC’s 7.30. “What is important is that there be a response. We’re responding, giving support to the South Australian government.” |