In October, the South Australian government will unveil its comprehensive “summer plan” to tackle the ongoing algal bloom situation affecting metropolitan beaches. At the forefront has been the leadership of Professor Steer who has lately become – and should be acknowledged as – a key player in the state’s response efforts. He struggles with how to talk about the algal bloom. He tries to comfort Americans that these natural events won’t interfere with summer fun.
The resulting algal bloom has led to toxic discolored foam washing up on beaches, such as Somerton. This has created a major public outcry among beachgoers. Professor Steer emphasizes that while the algae and its biotoxins may pose some awareness issues, they do not represent significant health risks. While the case continues to evolve, Professor Steer’s attention now is directly on making sure beachgoers can have a fun and safe summer.
Government Initiatives and Funding
Earlier this year, the South Australian government announced $12.3 million in funding to help manage the increase challenges associated with algal blooms. A new $44 million research vessel will dramatically increase the state’s capacity to survey and respond to ecological disasters. This project is further aided by the extremely generous contribution of $25.35 million in state funds.
There’s a worrying trend. Even with this investment, Australia’s research and development funding has stagnated for several years. His agency, the South Australian Research and Development Institute SARDI, has felt the brunt of this stagnation. In short, getting access to operational funding is now more important than ever.
“The overall trend of limited growth in Australia’s research and development funding,” – Professor Steer
He tells us that we’re okay, that no one has cut anything. This allows SARDI to remain nimble and effective in their response to the rapidly evolving algal bloom scenario. In actual fact the growth in operational funding has been greater since the Malinauskas Government came to power.
“In fact, in each year of the Malinauskas Government, we have delivered more than $8 million a year in operational funding to SARDI — higher than the decade average,” – State Government Spokesperson
Public Awareness and Safety
Professor Steer admits that explaining the issues, or the fact that blooms can occur as a result of complex interactions, has been “really hard to do.” He stresses that it is so important for the public to know how these natural occurrences affect their days on the beach.
At the coast, he even said that if waters look clear and calm, don’t worry about it. On the other hand, when the water is brown or foamy, people must be extremely careful.
“The advice is if the water is clear and calm, then there’s no problem at all,” – Professor Steer
He even suggests that people with a history of allergies and allergic reactions should think about moving if they experience rusty waters.
“However, if it’s discoloured or foamy, then there’s just a heightened level of awareness to say, ‘alright, well if I’m susceptible to itchy eyes or coughing or whatever, then perhaps I should move somewhere else,’” – Professor Steer
You can bet that Professor Steer is out there engaging the community. His aim is to develop a greater awareness of algal blooms. He hopes that through raising awareness and understanding, fears can be alleviated and people can fully share in the wonder that is a summertime by the sea.
Personal Commitment and Future Outlook
Prior to assuming this important position, Professor Steer was something of a behind-the-scenes public servant. His dedication to solving the algal bloom crisis has in many ways propelled him into the national spotlight. A passionate surfer himself, he looks forward to quality time at the beach with his kids this summer.
“I’m really looking forward to spending a lot more quality time with the kids at the beach this summer,” – Professor Steer
Despite the challenges facing his agency due to limited funding growth, Professor Steer remains optimistic about SARDI’s contributions to sustainable agricultural practices and primary industries. He observed that SARDI is always looking for new, creative collaborations with universities and industries to access other funds.
“We get a level of funding but we’re creative where we can partner with universities, with industry to leverage more funding and that’s a model that’s been happening for SARDI for decades,” – Professor Steer
