Four Corners S2026E05 - Toxic Tide

"Toxic Tide" reported by Angus Grigg for Monday's Four Corners is produced by Alex McDonald and looks into South Australia's algal bloom.

It's one of the worst environmental disasters to strike Australia's waters. Expected to be over in weeks, a year on, the South Australian algal bloom continues to devastate parts of the coastline.

As South Australians go to the polls this weekend, Four Corners investigates what the government knew about the health risks and what they told the public.

Despite the toxic bloom decimating marine life, shutting down parts of the fishing industry and according to some people, leaving them sick, the government repeatedly downplayed the health effects.

Angus Grigg and the Four Corners team piece together what the government was told and its public messaging.

Toxic Tide raises urgent questions about transparency, trust, and accountability in times of crisis. It serves as a warning for the rest of Australia about how governments respond and communicate as climate-driven environmental disasters become more frequent and more severe.