8 July 2025
The Greens say SA Labor is failing on the rolling toxic algae crisis despite months of warnings from community and business. They have called on the Government to back their action plan to protect South Australia’s environment and economy.
SA Greens 4-point plan on toxic algae crisis:
Scrap fossil fuel subsidies & make the gas companies pay compensation to businesses & coastal communities, including tourism & fishing operators
Parliamentary Inquiry into State Government response including full release of documentation and data
Moratorium on new oil and gas in SA – immediately cancel new exploration licenses for fossil fuel expansion in the Otway and Polda Basins
Declare a national disaster and deliver a federal support package
Robert Simms is Greens MLC for South Australia:
“While we welcome the fishers finally getting some relief, today’s package is a really just a drop in the ocean. Sadly it’s too little too late for a crisis that’s been rolling for months. South Australians are picking up the bill but Labor is still subsidising gas companies to ‘drill baby drill’.
“The Government should back the Greens' plan. We need a State Parliamentary Inquiry, and to declare this a national disaster to unlock federal support.
“Given SA Labor have conceded this crisis is driven by climate change, they should back the call for an immediate moratorium on fossil fuel subsidies & gas expansion in South Australia, including in the Otway and Polda Basins. Those tenders should be cancelled now.
“The polluters who contributed to this crisis shouldn’t be getting millions of dollars in taxpayer subsidies. These funds should be directed to a compensation package for impacted industries.”
“The toxic algae crisis has been rolling and spreading for months now. The Greens called for fishing licence fees to be waived and while we welcome Labor finally doing something, sadly it’s a drop in the ocean compared to the response required.
“Tourism operators and coastal communities have been reeling for months, but the Government still has no plan. Time is up. Labor is failing South Australia's environment and economy on the toxic algae crisis and they should back the Greens plan for real action.”