State Environment Minister Dr Susan Close has responded to some of the claims made at a National Parks protest meeting attended by 350 in Millicent on Friday night.

Dr Close is currently also the Acting Premier and sent an apology for her non-attendance.

Her office has subsequently issued a statement to newsrooms.

“In 2021, under then Environment Minister David Speirs, the Department for Environment and Water received permission to apply for funding from the Wyss Foundation’s Campaign for Nature to undertake community consultation on the South East Coastal Lakes Project,” Dr Close said.

This application was successful.

“The DEW is currently inviting feedback from all sections of the community to ensure concerns and expectations are well understood and considered in deciding how the South East Coastal Lakes could be managed into the future.

“The proposal currently out for consultation, which has been developed off the back of community consultation that occurred in late 2021 and early 2022, has sought to strike a balance in the range of views relating to the ongoing management of the lakes.

“A decision will then be made about the future management of the coastal lakes based completely on the feedback received from the community consultation.

“Consultation is open until July 28 via: yoursay.sa.gov.au/se-coastal-lakes-project.”