Parliamentary report highlights need for stronger support for councils tackling algal bloom

The report also reflects LGA’s long-standing advocacy for better disaster funding arrangements and stronger climate action – issues central to managing the increasing frequency and severity of environmental events.

The report made 11 key recommendations and recognises the growing impact of harmful algal blooms on local communities, waterways and regional economies, and reinforces the critical role councils play in managing on-the-ground responses.

Importantly, the Committee’s recommendations align with the joint submission made by LGA, the Adelaide Coastal Councils Network, and the South Australian Coastal Councils Alliance, as well as LGA's election priorities submission regarding Local Government Disaster Recovery Assistance Arrangements for South Australia.

This includes highlighting the need for clearer roles and responsibilities across all levels of government, improved coordination, and increased resourcing to support councils responding to these complex environmental events.

The Committee recommended that the state government:

1. review the Local Government Disaster Recovery Assistance Arrangements in consultation with the Local Government Association and Councils to better support Local Government access to timely disaster funding

2. review the South Australian State Emergency Management Plan to include a risk reduction leader and hazard plan for ecological disasters

3. consider providing additional funding for impacted businesses to access mental health and financial counselling assistance

4. undertake a long-term impact assessment program of the ecological impacts across marine ecosystem monitor the long-term impacts on the marine environment resulting from the toxic algal bloom, with periodic reporting must be made publicly available

5. reaffirm the state government's commitment to net zero emissions by 2050 and advocate for other levels of government to adopt a similar target.

Other recommendations made by the parliamentary committee, that have a direct impact to councils and their communities, were calls to:

• remove the requirement to establish economic loss as part of the financial assistance to access funding under the Local Government Disaster Recovery Assistance Arrangements, to enable local government to access funding for slow on-set natural disasters and ecological disasters

• review the efficacy of the state tourism voucher scheme to improve engagement with local councils and maximise participation’.

LGA will work closely with the state government and key agencies to progress the report’s recommendations for local government.

LGA’s joint submission

LGA and its partners worked hard with many stakeholders on its joint submission, documenting the significant work coastal councils undertook and the impacts on their communities.

This joint submission also sought a guarantee for a comprehensive, coordinated approach to future algal bloom events to be able to respond to and recover from the harmful environmental effects.

Our recommendations included:

1. continue South Australia's decarbonisation efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and, in turn, ocean warming

2. recognise a harmful algal bloom as a hazard and identify a Hazard Risk Reduction Leader and a Control Agency to coordinate response for algal blooms in the State Emergency Management Plan and subsidiary strategies and plans

3. provide clear science-based communications to communities and stakeholders

4. support the recovery of ecosystems, economies and communities from the algal bloom, supporting funding to coastal councils and a support package for various coastal initiatives, including coastal infrastructure

5. develop and deliver a Community Wellbeing and Resilience Framework to support the social and mental health of affected communities

6. provide funding for long-term coastal and marine biological and ecological monitoring and extend water testing across the state

7. provide ongoing funding to reduce nutrient discharge to coastal, estuarine and marine waters.