PFAS plan considered
Impact dismissed
THE Federal Government says it will “carefully consider” whether it would implement the recommendations made by a parliamentary inquiry into the response to PFAS contamination in and around Defence bases.
The Inquiry into the management of PFAS contamination in and around Defence bases handed down its report and recommended a coordinator general be appointed to take over the Federal Government’s response to the contamination and landowners in contaminated areas be compensated for lost real estate value and other financial losses relating to the contamination.
Environment Minister Melissa Price and Assistant Defence Minister David Fawcett released a joint statement in response.
Despite the report quoting the US Environmental Protection Agency, which says “there is evidence that exposure to PFAS can lead to adverse human health effects”, the two Federal Government representatives maintained “there (was) still no consistent evidence of human health impacts”.
“The Government acknowledges that communities in areas where PFAS contamination has been detected are very concerned about how this may affect them,” Ms Price and Mr Fawcett said.
“Their wellbeing is our focus and we will continue to work closely with them to provide advice and assistance as quickly as possible.”
Groom MP John McVeigh said the most significant recommendation in the report was around compensation that was tailored to individual circumstances.
“This is something I have lobbied for and I note alongside a reported class-action, there are numerous negotiations under way between individual landholders and the Department of Defence,” Dr McVeigh said.
Dr McVeigh also said he had been advised there was “still no consistent evidence of human health impacts”, despite the report quoting sources that said otherwise.