Goyder Institute for Water Research Director Dr Alec Rolston participated in the Federal Government’s Senate Inquiry into the algal bloom in South Australia public hearing in Victor Harbor. Building on the Goyder Institute’s written submission to the enquiry Dr Rolston outlined three key points:
💧The current algal bloom is not an isolated event – it is part of a broader pattern of ecological stress across both freshwater and marine environments. This includes prolonged filamentous and microalgal blooms in the Coorong South Lagoon, and multiple cyanobacterial blooms in the Goolwa Channel.
💧The impacts are severe and wide-ranging – affecting fisheries, tourism, industry, small businesses, biodiversity, cultural values, and the wellbeing of communities and First Nations peoples. Communities and individuals are carrying a significant emotional and financial burden as a result of this algal bloom.
💧There is a need for coordinated, long-term investment in science and partnerships to support decision-making for this and future bloom events.
The Goyder Institute has submitted over 125 research priorities to the South Australian Government to address knowledge gaps and inform policy. Investing in science is critical to building environmental, social, and economic resilience to future bloom events and other environmental challenges. Federal and State Governments have the opportunity to show strong environmental leadership by investing in science and research.
Addressing nutrient and sediment input into coastal and marine environments through a catchments-based approach is critical, no regrets action to assist in mitigating future algal blooms and their impacts. The Goyder Institute is working in partnership with multiple organisations including the Hills and Fleurieu Landscape Board and the Environment Institute at the University of Adelaide to develop a proposal aimed at improving water quality throughout the catchment before it reaches the ocean. Catchment-scale interventions will support healthier ecosystems and communities across the entire rivers and coastal system, delivering multiple benefits across biodiversity, carbon sequestration, industry and business and community empowerment.
How our communities and our environments adapt to a changing climate is a key focus of the Goyder Institute’s Coorong, Lower Lakes and Murray Mouth Research Centre. The Centre is now the largest science program undertaken in the CLLMM region, engaging over 150 scientists, 12 community groups and over 20 national and international organisations across its 29 science projects. A Preliminary Business Case for a Phase 2 of the Research Centre was submitted to the Australian Government in November 2024 and is currently under consideration.
The Environment and Communications References Committee – Algal Blooms (12/09/2025) Hansard transcript has now been released – check it out here: ParlInfo – Environment and Communications References Committee : 12/09/2025 : Algal Blooms
