Update: A Big Step Forward

On the 20th of August the Prime Minister announced a new “significant ecological event” program in response to the ongoing algal bloom crisis in South Australia.

For the first time, the government has recognised that slow-onset climate disasters - like marine heatwaves and algal blooms - need proper long-term support. This is exactly the kind of change we’ve been calling for, and it shows the power of communities coming together to demand action.

While this is a win, the crisis is far from over. Dead fish are still washing up, livelihoods remain on the line, and recovery will take years.

This announcement is an important step, but we must keep standing with South Australian communities as they navigate the long road ahead.

A natural disaster is unfolding - and the federal government isn’t calling it what it is. 

South Australia’s coastline is experiencing a crisis in slow-motion. A massive algal bloom has choked the ocean, silenced surf breaks, and left fishing boats tied to the dock. Sea creatures - from stingrays to leafy seadragons - are washing up dead. And the people who live and work by the ocean? They're getting sick, they’re confused, and they feel ignored.

For months, surfers, fishers, and scientists have raised the alarm. But our leaders have failed to act.

Right now, the federal government can’t declare this event a natural disaster - because the existing framework doesn’t recognise marine ecosystem collapse or harmful algal blooms as disasters. That obviously needs to change.

We’re calling on the Federal Government to update disaster criteria so climate-driven marine events can trigger the support communities need - just like floods, fires and storms.

We call this what it is: A climate-driven natural disaster.