The Greens have committed to implementing all nine recommendations made in the Parliamentary Inquiry into the management of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination in and around Defence bases.
This would include providing a long-fought-for compensation and buy-back scheme for Williamtown residents suffering due to the toxic chemical's presence on their land and in nearby waterways.
Federal Greens candidate for Newcastle, Cr John Mackenzie, said his party is calling on local candidates to match their commitment.
"We've committed and we're calling on all candidates from Newcastle and Paterson to make the same commitment to the immediate implementation of those recommendations," said Cr Mackenzie.
"That means appointing a coordinator-general to make sure the process is handled at arm's length from government, it means establishing immediately a compensation scheme which can include buy-backs for residents who are no longer in a position to sell their properties and no longer in a position to stay where they are,"
"And it includes making sure that we continue the voluntary blood testing programs to get an understanding of the long-term health impacts and that we have individual case management for people that are dealing with the risks of PFAS contamination on a day-to-day basis."
To date, neither major party has committed to a compensation or buy-back scheme.
Last month in an Australian first, the Morrison government settled a lawsuit for PFAS exposure with a retired military doctor living next door to the Army Aviation Base at Oakey in Queensland.
The settlement left Williamtown residents puzzled, with Coalition Against PFAS co-founder and President Lindsay Clout telling 2nurfm it sent mixed messages to his fellow residents.
"The positive that I take from it is at long last we've set a precedent that people living on contaminated land need to be compensated, and that's certainly happening," said Mr Clout.
"Defence had the opportunity late last year to settle a class action for 450 people in the Williamtown area and walked away from it, so I'm a little puzzled as to why one person getting a result is so important when they had the opportunity to solve it for all of us."
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| Image: ABC |
