The Albanese Government will establish a national coordinating body to respond to the specific needs of communities impacted by per-and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) around Defence bases.
In 2023, the Government commissioned an independent review into PFAS contamination around three Defence bases: RAAF Base Williamtown in New South Wales, the Army Aviation Centre Oakey in Queensland, and RAAF Base Tindal in the Northern Territory.
The Government has today released its response to the review: agreeing to 18 of the 19 recommendations, and noting one.
The review calls for immediate action to strengthen coordination and integration across all levels of government to respond to the impacts of PFAS contamination.
Delivering on an important election commitment, and to directly address the concerns raised by local communities, the Albanese Government will establish:
- A National Coordinating Body overseen by federal and state ministers, to improve management responses to PFAS and guidance to meet the needs of individual communities, and;
- A Williamtown Working Group to inform actions to mitigate PFAS contamination around Williamtown.
Work is already underway with the New South Wales Government to establish the Williamtown Working Group, which will implement and oversee pilot initiatives in the area surrounding RAAF Base Williamtown. This will include exploring options to mitigate PFAS contamination and manage the drainage network.
The Albanese Government will also work with the Minns Labor Government through the National Coordinating Body to review PFAS exposure risks for properties within the RAAF Base Williamtown Primary Management Zone. The Government will develop options of additional support for impacted properties that is meaningful. This will be informed by the work of an independent assessor.
The review also identified that credible and up-to-date information about PFAS was not easily accessible for impacted communities. The PFAS National Coordinating Body will help provide practical support and tailored information that is easy to understand for property owners and First Nations communities in affected areas around the country.
As part of the Government's response to the review, the latest PFAS information, advice and developments will be easily accessible through a central, national PFAS website.
Communities across Australia have been living with the impacts of PFAS contamination for years, but the former Coalition government failed to listen to them, and address their concerns.
The Albanese Government is committed to seeing simple, tailored and impactful measures put in place to specifically address the needs of these communities, while also reforming the approach to PFAS at a national level.
