PASIN CALLS FOR ACTION ON COORONG CONNECTION

Member for Barker Tony Pasin MP says initiatives intended to improve the health of the Coorong are moving far too slowly.

Mr Pasin has previously criticised the Healthy Coorong, Healthy Basin initiative saying the project was intended to address hypersaline water in the southern Coorong yet almost six years since the $70 million Healthy Coorong, Healthy Basin project commenced one of the only infrastructure projects anywhere near being close to construction is at Lake Hawdon North, nowhere near the Coorong and does nothing to address salinity issues.

Since 2020, the Coorong Infrastructure Investigations Project has engaged with community, First Nations and stakeholders through the Options, Investigations and Feasibility stages under the Healthy Coorong, Healthy Basin initiative.

“The outcome of the infrastructure investigations work is what locals who have been living and working on the Coorong for generations have been telling me for years, that is a connection from the Coorong South Lagoon to the Southern Ocean will substantially improve the ecology of the South Lagoon,” Mr Pasin said.

“Disappointingly the South Australian Government seems to have the entire process on go slow.”

“After five years and millions of dollars worth of reports, the recent fish kill in the South Lagoon should serve as a wake-up call to the South Australian and Federal Labor governments to get on with it.”

“It’s extremely disappointing that all we’re seeing from Minister Close is a wave of the white flag in defeat by spending $14 million on a bird refuge at Lake Hawdon North instead of fixing the problem.”

“State and Federal Labor governments need to pull their finger out and prioritise resources towards solutions rather than contingency plans,” Mr Pasin said.