Persistent algae bloom causing political headaches as scientists are copping the flak

For fish, an algal bloom can cause suffocation and death.

For humans, skin rashes and coughing.

For politicians, bad news cycles and irritating headlines.

The political headache for state and federal Labor over their response to South Australia's ecological disaster will not go away anytime soon, much like the bloom itself.

This week, the irritating headlines stemmed from revelations that federal Environment Minister Murray Watt wasn't formally briefed about the bloom until July 11 — well after dead marine life had begun washing up on Adelaide's coastline.

Two weeks earlier, it was criticism over the state government's communication — or lack thereof — to asthmatics about new health advice.

Seven weeks ago, it was the federal environment minister apologising for the speed in which "governments" responded to the crisis, as his state Labor counterparts denied claims they had been "buck passing" concerns from constituents during the bloom's early months.

In July, it was a 10-minute beach "inspection" from Mr Watt that copped bad press, fresh off revelations that the federal government had knocked back a funding plea from marine scientists for more ocean monitoring.

For two Labor governments in such commanding electoral positions, it's perhaps surprising they've arguably lost control of the political narrative surrounding this ecological crisis.

As Mr Watt said on August 11, "I accept that South Australians think that governments were too slow to respond to this event, and for that, I apologise".

How did we get here?

An admission of sorts

The origins of Labor's political headache can be traced back to the early hours of Saturday, March 15, when a group of surfers started experiencing real headaches after visiting Waitpinga Beach, about 15 kilometres south-west of Victor Harbor.

Two days later, the ABC visited Waitpinga and found a mysterious, discoloured foam that had washed up on shore along with scores of dead fish. Authorities closed the beach that afternoon.

By April, there were reports of dying fish across more beaches along the Fleurieu Peninsula, Kangaroo Island and Edithburgh on the Yorke Peninsula, as well as dead cockles washing up at Goolwa Beach.

By May 8, the state government said the bloom had grown to a size roughly equivalent to Kangaroo Island.

Premier Peter Malinauskas now admits that during these three months, the state government underestimated how persistent the bloom would be in winter.

But he also argues that politicians were not the only ones guilty of this, pointing to the advice the government was receiving from its marine scientists at the time.

Indeed, the ABC had also reported on May 30 that there were "hopes the toxic algal bloom will soon end" due to cooler ocean temperatures.

"Throughout March, April and May, all of the forecasts that we were getting from our marine scientists was that the algal bloom would dissipate during the course of winter months," he told the ABC's 7:30 program earlier this month.

"And it certainly became clear in July that those forecasts certainly weren't going to come to fruition, and that invited a different policy response."

The premier, pressed on whether he should apologise like Mr Watt, said the state government had "acted in accordance with all of the advice that we've got" and he was "not too sure anyone would expect us to do anything different than that".

A critical month

The state government pointing to the scientific advice it received has done little to stem the recriminations coming from the Greens and the Liberals who, naturally, want to get political mileage out of the crisis.

But the government's admission that it expected the bloom to disappear over winter might provide an insight into why some public servants in Canberra say they were not aware of the bloom's impact until two months after it started.

On Wednesday, federal environment department officials told a senate inquiry that they had their "first formal contact" with the South Australian government about the algal bloom "towards the end of May".

The officials also revealed that they did not provide a formal briefing to Mr Watt about the bloom until July 11.

Amid criticism of these timelines, a state government spokesperson told the media that state agencies have been "working along with federal agencies" since the bloom's detection in late March.

The spokesperson added that former SA environment minister Susan Close contacted her federal counterpart on May 12 to "bring him up to date with issues in SA's environment, including the bloom".

But was there enough urgency in these conversations?

If the state government's advice at the time was that the bloom was going to dissipate, and federal officials said they were not aware of the escalating situation until July, then likely not.

Taking no chances

Opposition leader Vincent Tarzia has attempted to use the communications between the state and federal governments as evidence Labor "hasn't properly advocated for South Australia's interests".

But Dr Close offered a different perspective last week.

"Did we realise how big it would be? No, we didn't, scientists didn't," she told ABC Radio Adelaide last Friday.

"This hasn't happened like this anywhere in Australia before and very rarely in the world — usually when they come, they go very quickly.

"So, look, wisdom of hindsight, fine, but I think people paid attention — I know I paid attention from March."

The ABC reported last week that Labor insiders are conscious of the bloom hanging around in summer and the impact it could have on the March state election.

The premier has made clear the state government is preparing for the worst, hoping for the best.

"It's impossible to predict, and everybody that's tried to make predictions up and until this point has largely proven to be wrong," Mr Malinauskas said.

Foresight is difficult, hindsight is easy.

SA algal bloom key events:

• March 15: Surfers report falling ill after visiting Waitpinga Beach
• March 17: The ABC visits Waitpinga and finds brown foam and dead fish along the sand. Later that day authorities close the beach and nearby Parsons Beach
• March 22: Kangaroo Island residents begin to report dead fish along beaches
• March 25: SA's Environmental Protection Authority confirms the bloom as Karenia mikimotoi
• May 3: Labor wins the federal election
• May 8: The state government says the bloom has grown to the size of Kangaroo Island, more than 4,000 square kilometres
• May 8: Oyster toxin caused by the algae forces the quarantine of Yorke Peninsula oysters
• May 12: Murray Watt is appointed Environment Minister, and SA environment minister Susan Close contacts him to “bring him up to date with issues in SA's environment, including the bloom"
• May 30: Lower ocean temperatures spark hopes the bloom will dissipate over winter
• June 4: The bloom spreads to the Coorong
• June 28: Metropolitan beaches report swathes of dead creatures along the coast
• June 30: Government warns bloom unlikely to end "anytime soon"
• July 1: The bloom is detected in West Lakes
• July 7: The Greens call for a national disaster to be declared
• July 8: The bloom is detected in the Port River, the state government announces fee relief for commercial fishers
• July 11: Murray Watt is formally briefed by his department about the algal bloom
• July 12: Video shows neon-green water near Ardrossan
• July 13: The state opposition calls for a royal commission into the bloom outbreak
• July 17: The Coorong faces "ecological collapse" due to the bloom, advocates warn
• July 21: Murray Watt visits SA, pledges $14m in funding but no disaster declared
• July 22: SA Premier matches the $14m funding, detailing plans to help business, clean-ups and give more information to the public
• August 11: Murray Watt offers an apology to South Australian who think "governments" were too slow to act on the bloom
• August 20: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese visits Adelaide to announce an additional $6.25 million in support, describing the bloom as an "event" rather than a "disaster"