What would declaring a toxic algal bloom as 'national disaster' mean for SA
"I don't hold a hose, mate."
The quip by then-Prime Minister Scott Morrison during the 2019 Black Summer bushfires left an indelible mark on his legacy, as communities on the ground confronted devastation.
Six years on, the comment has resurfaced — this time in reference to what has been described as an "underwater bushfire" causing mass destruction along South Australia's coastline.
The toxic algal bloom, first detected off the Fleurieu Peninsula, has been ravaging marine life across the state over the past four months, threatening coastal ecosystems and disrupting local tourism, fishing and aquaculture industries.
"I urge the Prime Minister and [SA Premier] Peter Malinauskas to not allow this to become their 'We don't hold the hoses, mate' moment, South Australian Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said on Friday.
Senator Hanson-Young wants Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to declare the algal bloom a "national disaster" — a move supported by the SA government.
But what difference could such a declaration make?
According to Senator Hanson-Young's office, a "national disaster" declaration is akin to a "national emergency" declaration.
Federal laws which passed in 2020 allow the governor-general to declare a national emergency if the prime minister was satisfied an event was "causing harm that is nationally significant in Australia or in an Australian offshore area".
The legislation has a broad definition of what constitutes nationally-significant harm, listing "harm to the life or health of animals or plants" and "harm to the environment" among the criteria.
State and territory governments can request a national emergency declaration in writing and, if granted, a declaration can last up to three months.
University of Adelaide research fellow Dr Phillipa McCormack said the purpose of the legislation was to recognise the Commonwealth's role during emergencies.
"State governments can sometimes struggle to respond effectively, quickly enough, and at the scale that's needed to those kinds of extreme events," Dr McCormack said.
"This legislation recognises that mismatch between the experience of the event and the resources to deal with it.
"But the Act does limit it to those nationally-significant contexts."
If an emergency declaration is in force, federal laws can be modified in "specified ways".
"Provisions that may be modified include those requiring a person to provide a signature or to report matters to a Commonwealth agency," the Act states.
According to the SA government, a "national disaster" declaration can also unlock federal funding through the National Emergency Management Agency's "Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements".
These cost-sharing arrangements between the Commonwealth and state governments provide financial assistance to disaster-affected communities.
Funding could come in the form of clean-up and recovery grants, personal hardship assistance, community recovery funds, or concessional loans for small businesses and primary producers.
Politicians and some coastal community members.
At a community meeting at Port Vincent last week, locals called for a disaster declaration, arguing Commonwealth support was needed.
On Friday, Senator Hanson-Young said a "COVID-style recovery package" would help affected communities.
"Businesses are crippling, communities are hurting, they're alarmed and our environment is under huge attack," Ms Hanson-Young said.
The SA government has backed calls for the algal bloom to be declared a "national disaster", with state Primary Industries Minister Clare Scriven noting the event had caused "very significant impacts" to the state's fisheries and environment.
"We would certainly appreciate the federal government agreeing with what we have been advocating, which is that this is a national disaster," Ms Scriven said on Friday.
"We hope that they will come to see it in that light."
While Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was in China last week, his ministers defended the federal government's response to the algal bloom.
Federal Minister for Environment and Water, Murray Watt, said the government recognised the bloom was "very serious for South Australians", adding that he would "certainly consider" any assistance request from the state government.
But he also stressed that the bloom was occurring in state, not Commonwealth, waters.
"I think the reality is that state governments do have primary responsibility for state matters including in state waters, and federal governments have responsibility for federal matters including things in Commonwealth waters," he told ABC Radio Adelaide on Friday.
"I think we do need to be careful to not have a system where Canberra just blunders in and tries to take over the situation that is being managed by the South Australian government."
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