Overview

• Public hearings began in Adelaide before moving to Port Lincoln, Ardrossan, Victor Harbor and Canberra, with the committee examining causes, impacts and required responses.
• SA Health confirmed it updated advice last week after brevetoxins were found in beach foam, urging people with asthma and chronic lung disease to carry reliever medication when foam or the bloom is present.
• Officials said there is no plan to close beaches for summer, but people should avoid discoloured water and foam even as they continue to visit the coast.
• Scientists told senators the ecological toll remains unclear due to underfunded and fragmented monitoring, while pointing to a marine heatwave, flood-driven nutrients and upwelling as key drivers.
• Fisheries and tourism report steep losses as governments operate a joint $28 million response and veteran volunteers from Disaster Relief Australia assist large-scale clean-ups.