Citizens' Inquiry into the South Australian Coastal Crisis: How do we protect the Great Southern Reef?

JOIN US FOR ONE, OR ALL OF OUR INFORMATION SESSIONS, THEN SHARE YOUR VIEWS!

OUR FIRST SESSION IS FRIDAY 29 AUGUST @ 12NOON TO 2PM ACST (Adelaide Time)

What is South Australia’s Coastal Crisis?

For months now, South Australia’s coastal ecosystems and communities have been devastated by a large-scale algal bloom, which has been killing marine life, and causing extreme emotional distress and economic damage to coastal communities.

Since the outbreak there have been numerous academic and government responses. However, what’s missing is a platform where the concerns, perspectives and ideas from citizens, across the academic, industry and community spectrum, are brought together as a collective.

Why are we hosting a Citizens’ Inquiry? (CI)

The Citizens’ Inquiry into South Australia’s Coastal Crisis 2025-2026 has been created by a group of independent, non-government, non-political organisations concerned about coastal life, coastal economies and the ecological health of South Australia. The Citizens' Inquiry (CI) is being hosted by the Australian Peoples' Tribunal, and supported by the Australian Earth Laws Alliance (AELA) and Ecolitic.

Our goal is to help provide a platform for people to access reliable information about the coastal crisis, hear about the various responses being suggested and share their views about ways forward.

To find out more about the CI, visit our website:
www.tribunal.org.au OR www.tribunal.org.au/sessions/2025-sa-coastal-crisis/

SPEAKERS FOR SESSION 1

29 AUGUST 2025 – ONLINE (12noon to 2pm ACST/Adelaide time)

·         Faith Coleman – Estuarine Ecologist

·         Prof. Gretta Pecl – Professor of Climate Change Ecology, University of Tasmania

·         Dr Freya Higgins-Desbiolles – Tourism, University of South Australia

·         Steve Bowley – Pacific Estate Oysters 

SESSION 2 – is being planned for late September 2025

SESSION 3 – is being planned for October or November 2025.

HOW CAN YOU PARTICIPATE?

Everyone is invited to register for an online session about the coastal crisis. Registering for one session will add you to the mailing list for all sessions and for updates about CI events and activities. You're welcome to attend one info session, or all of them. Different speakers will attend the various sessions, to share information and updates.

After each online session, you’ll be invited to submit your own views:

·         fill out an easy survey (links will be provided during the online sessions)

·         submit written comments via the online form on the Citizens' Inquiry website

·         submit video comments and other video material, by videoing yourself and/or others on your phone, and uploading your video to our website.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO THE INFORMATION YOU SHARE/SUBMIT?

Information that people choose to submit to the CI will be made publicly available on the CI website, and our team will also collate submissions and share them regularly with government agencies and others, during late 2025.

For example, submissions shared after Session 1 will go onto the CI website and will also be submitted to the Federal Government's current Senate Inquiry. All information shared by the time Session 3 is held, will be forwarded to the South Australian and Australian governments, with a short summary report attached. This way, community perspectives can be shared with Governments and others, in a way that’s easy for people to participate.

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE CITIZENS' INQUIRY PROCESS

After each online information session, participants will be invited to share their own views – about the impacts they’ve observed, what they think the causes of the crisis are, and what they think should happen to respond to the crisis.

This year, three information sessions will be held online, in August, September and Oct/November. After each session, people will be invited to fill out an online survey and/or submit their own written or video material.

All information submitted to the CI will be shared publicly on the CI website, and then collated by professional volunteers to submit to government enquiries, government agencies, scientific and other bodies relevant to the crisis. All information collated by the CI will be publicly available on the website, for use by anyone who might like to disseminate it.

There are currently plans to also host in person events in South Australia in 2026 if required, and further details will be available as the online sessions develop.

MORE INFORMATION?

Email us - aela@earthlaws.org.au

Visit our website - tribunal.org.au