South Australian government calls for Commonwealth to support fishers as algal bloom continues

ABC NEWS (Australia)

The federal government is facing criticism for distancing itself from the response to South Australia's algal bloom. As political pressure mounts the SA government and affected industries are calling on the Commonwealth to declare a national disaster.

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00:00Scenes of devastation along SA's coastline, but the federal government says it's not their problem.

00:09The algal bloom is currently in state waters, so in that situation state governments do have primary responsibility.

00:17Months into the toxic algal bloom crisis, Federal Environment Minister Murray Watt hasn't visited and has kept his government at arm's length.

00:26We recognise as a federal government that this is very, very serious.

00:30That's why we've been putting a lot of energy over the last few weeks into supporting the South Australian government.

00:36We are really, really hoping that the federal government will come to the party and assist in what is a very difficult time for South Australia,

00:44and particularly for South Australian fishers and our regional communities.

00:47The South Australian government today calling on their federal counterparts to unlock more help.

00:53We will continue to advocate for this to be declared as a national disaster.

00:57The state opposition and the Greens have accused both governments of being too slow to act,

01:02while opposition leader Vincent Tarzia has demanded Mr Watt come to South Australia to see the impact first hand.

01:10I urge the Prime Minister and Peter Malinowskis to not allow this to become their, we don't hold the hoses mate moment.

01:21As concerns have mounted in South Australia, the lack of action from the federal government has fuelled claims of a double standard,

01:28with questions raised over whether the reaction would be different if the bloom was on the east coast.

01:34The West Coast

01:35You

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