The Australian Manufacturing Worker's Union are calling for an independent public inquiry into revelations yesterday the Defence Department knew about the contamination risk at Williamtown RAAF Base.
The scandal saw workers exposed on site to harmful chemicals as well as residents, with contaminated groundwater being pumped off the base into residential areas.
AMWU Secretary Tim Ayres says it is time the Defence Minister Marise Payne accounted for what her department knew and why action wasn't taken to protect workers and the community.
"Yesterday's Newcastle Herald revelations are an absolute scandal. It's clear now that the department of defence and inevitably the minister's office must have known that these products were doing enormous harm to workers, the community and the environment."
Ayres says it is unacceptable that the department knew about the risk and the damage it would cause, but decided to proceed anyway thwarting a cover up.
"There needs to be a proper investigation, and the Commonwealth government needs to come back to the community in the Hunter with a serious remediation and compensation package."
