The Federal Government now has a deadline.
They have until February 6, 2018, to explain what consideration they are giving to the people and business of Williamtown when it comes to their financial situations.
Labor, the Greens and some minor parties have joined forces to put forward a Senate motion condemning the Department of Defence's response to the PFAS contamination saga in the Williamtown red zone, and also calling on the Turnbull government to explain what consideration it has given to addressing any financial impacts on affected businesses and individuals.
The motion was a culmination of work by Greens Senator Lee Rhiannon and Paterson MP Meryl Swanson who has been going in to bat for Williamtown in Canberra since the saga began.
"That's what this motion is about, it's about putting pressure on the government to say you keep telling us that you have a solution, you keep telling us that you have options for the people of Williamtown. That was six months ago, where are these options, we need to know what is going on," said Meryl Swanson.
A solution is yet to be found for the people suffering in the red zone, and Meryl Swanson believes the issue is bigger than politics, it's about people's lives.
"I just really want a scheme that's fair and that is straight forward and that helps people and gives them options. The actuary people, the policy people will be able to develop the details of whatever these things are going to be, but I just want something that's going to look after the people of Williamtown who have already been through enough."
"What they need to do is give a meaningful explanation of what is going on moving forward so when Senator James Magrath, head of the PFAS Taskforce stands up and says we have a plan, we need to know what that plan is," said Meryl Swanson.
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| Paterson MP Meryl Swanson in Williamtown in May 2017. |
