00:00Mounds of algal seafoam on SA's beaches blowing into the air.
00:07For months, official health advice has been there's no extra risk for people with asthma.
00:12But a Senate inquiry has heard that advice was wrong.
00:16A harmful brevitoxin's been detected.
00:19That information's just become available in the last one to two weeks.
00:22There was an announcement about the detection in the foam last Thursday.
00:26So that's quite recent.
00:30We've only known this because we only started testing this two weeks ago.
00:34And the health advice has evolved, as you have said.
00:38It's raised questions over the government's testing regime.
00:42There's been evidence that it's been showing up in shellfish testing for months.
00:46Why wouldn't you test the foam?
00:48The state's primary industries department says it's been doing regular brevitoxin monitoring,
00:53but only in shellfish harvesting areas.
00:56It only undertook further testing when an unusual amount of seafoam appeared at Henley Beach.
01:03The inquiry also heard resounding calls from scientists for urgent marine surveys and ongoing monitoring,
01:09which they say have been underfunded.
01:12How can we tell you what has changed if we do not even know what was there to begin with?
01:17The state and federal government's $28 million funding package also came under the spotlight.
01:22Is it enough?
01:23Is it enough?
01:26It's what we're working with at the moment.
01:29The government also revealed the bloom will likely dissipate and return in a pulsating pattern.
01:35Clarify that.
01:35So you think that the most likely scenario is the pulsating, not that it's just going to continue to get worse or stay as it is?
01:41Is that what you've just said, Mr Beattie?
01:44That is what I just said.
01:45A summer plan is still under development, but the government's sure of one thing.
01:50The intent is not to close beaches, but rather to inform the community about the conditions at the beaches
01:56so that they can make risk-based judgements.
01:58The inquiry continues in the regional seaside towns of Port Lincoln, Ardrossan and Victor Harbour.
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