Senate Inquiry into PFAS contamination underway in Williamtown

BY LAUREN FREEMANTLE AND JARROD MELMETH

Williamtown residents living in the red zone will have the chance to address an inquiry into the federal government’s management of PFAS contamination in and around defence bases.

More than 50 residents are in attendance at the hearing in Williamtown where residents, action groups, politicians and a former RAAF Base Commander will be given time to speak to the committee panel.

President of the Fullerton Cove Residents Action Group, Lindsay Clout said while it is a step forward it has taken far too long to get here.

"It is just another indication of the disconnected and sloppy approach that has been taken so far. The federal government have not been treating it seriously and they need to get their act together. Today is a huge step for us to give them that information so that they can get their act together," Mr Clout said. 

The inquiry has received 64 submissions from residents and health experts as well as local, state and federal representatives, but only eight people who submitted have been given the opportunity to speak at the hearing. 

Mr Clout said he understands the time constraints on the committee if everyone was invited to speak.

"It is certainly difficult to cater for everyone, so what they have done is provided a cross-section. They have read through the 60-odd submissions and then chosen a mix so that the committee can hear from both our action group and from individuals," Mr Clout said.

In a submission to the inquiry, Williamtown resident, Michelle Sansom said she is "extremely upset" that the land where she grew up and has "an emotional attachment to" is now a contaminated wasteland "due to the carelessness of the RAAF Base." 

Federal Member for Newcastle, Sharon Claydon, who is sitting on the Committee said Williamtown has borne the brunt of the government's inaction  and neglect for too long.

Residents living and working near the Williamtown RAAF base were warned by the New South Wales Environment Protection Authority in September 2015 that elevated levels of toxic chemicals had been found in the surrounding areas. Since this time over 90 PFAS sites have been identified around the country. 

Tuesday's inquiry into PFAS contamination at Williamtown.
Photo: Kate Washington.

National PFAS Coalition Launched

BY JARROD MELMETH

A national coalition has been launched today to advocate on behalf of communities in Australia such as Williamtown dealing with the toxic fallout of per-and-poly-fluoroalkyl chemicals (PFAS).

The Coalition Against PFAS (CAP) is a joint coalition of residents involved in class action lawsuits at Williamtown, Oakey and Katherine and will work to inform and advocate for impacted communities across Australia by highlighting the latest international news and research.

Coalition president and Williamtown resident Lindsay Clout said he hopes the coalition will provide support for those who are suffering.

"We have had contact with people from East Gippsland in Victoria; We have had contact with people from Western Australia; I have spoken with people from Bundaberg who just recently had this chemical discovered in their water supply.

"We want to get the information out there so these people do not have to go through the three or four years that we have gone through and Oakey has gone through in gathering all of this information so that we can understand the problem that we face," Mr Clout said.

The coalition is in talks with similar grassroots organisations in the United States who are experiencing similar circumstances which Mr Clout hopes will result in an international co-operation.

"People are recognising quite quickly through social media and the electronic media, who is out there and what we are doing. We have had contact from a couple of sources in the United States who are doing the same thing that we are doing.

“Our initial desire was to combine our resources to have a national front in Australia on this issue and what is unfolding today is that it is turning into an international front," Mr Clout said.

Signage erected by Williamtown residents. 

Buybacks for Red Zone residents ruled out ahead of federal budget

BY JARROD MELMETH

Tuesday night's federal budget may include a $73 million package to connect PFAS affected communities, including those in Williamtown, to clean drinking water, but any chance of the government buying back those properties has been ruled out.

The funding was announced within hours of the release of a report by the government's expert health panel which concluded that there is "limited to no evidence" linking human disease to higher exposure.

Paterson MP Meryl Swanson has accused the government of reannouncing money which has already been allocated.

"Of that $73 million, $55.2 million has already been spent. I do not think the Turnbull government should be lauded for simply agreeing to stop contaminating peoples water and provide them with clean drinking water, which is a basic human right anyhow. There is so much more that really needs to be done here.

"I actually think it is really more about politicking. They have dropped a 400-page report via a difficult to find website on budget eve when people are very busy looking at budget items and working on what is going to be in and out of the budget. They have tried to really bring it in under the budget cloud," Ms Swanson said.

Williamtown resident Lindsay Clout said a buyback was something residents were really hoping for.

"They were hoping for some glimmer of hope that they would be able to be moved out, some level of compensation. The problem that we have got is the contamination stigma has destroyed house prices and there are hundreds of people that want to move away from this and they cannot get out because they cannot sell their properties. They are trapped," Mr Clout said.

Paterson MP Meryl Swanson with Red Zone affected residents.

Federal Government Williamtown contamination report tabled

BY JARROD MELMETH

A report being tabled by the federal government on the Williamtown Contamination crisis is being labelled as a slap in the face by the opposition.

The report comes as a result of a motion moved jointly by Labor and the Greens in December last year which called on the Turnbull Government to explain what consideration it had given to addressing the contamination crisis.

The Senate motion required the government to release its report on the 5th of February however, the report was given to the president rather than tabled in the Senate, which NSW Greens Senator Lee Rhiannon says only adds to the bad way the people of Williamtown are being treated by the Government.

"Not only is it a day late. The report is totally inadequate. It really is quite arrogant. They have basically just listed key financial organisations they have met with, without releasing recommendations or the substance of the discussion about the key aspects of the motion which required the government to detail the financial impacts of the contamination on the people of Williamtown," Ms Rhiannon said.

Federal Member for Paterson Meryl Swanson has described the government's handling of the motion as "a sign of utter disdain for the people of Williamtown who have suffered through no fault of their own."

The report will be tabled later today.

A property within the Williamtown contamination red zone.

Williamtown Residents Fuming After PFAS Information Session

BY IAN CROUCH

Williamtown residents have again been left angry and confused after an information session with Defence over the PFAS contamination crisis.

The department has issued a new map of the so-called Red Zone with four colour-coded risk zones, which appears to be quite different from the one issued by the NSW Environment Protection Authority just two weeks ago.

The EPA's Adam Gilligan told the 250 residents at the meeting they should rely on their map, not the one issued by Defence, which he said is based purely on science and has produced a different result.

Port Stephens MP, Kate Washington and Federal Paterson MP, Meryl Swanson says it only highlights the dysfunction between state and federal authorities over the handling of the PFAS contamination issue.

One Of Several Signs Around Williamtown Erected by Frustrated Residents

NSW Environment Minister Meets With PFAS Affected Residents At Williamtown.

BY IAN CROUCH

The Defence Department will hold the first of several public meetings today to update residents on the investigation into the Williamtown RAAF Base contamination saga.

It comes more than two years after news of the scandal broke.

The state government last month supported a motion from Port Stephens MP, Kate Washington to pressure the Prime Minister to find solutions for residents living in the red zone.

NSW Environment Minister, Gabrielle Upton met with six residents behind closed doors yesterday to hear how the state government can further assist them, with particular emphasis on connection to town water.

"It was a good meeting, a practically helpful meeting and I will welcome further meetings with the residents groups into the future," she said.

NSW Environment Minister, Gabrielle Upton

However, Port Stephens MP, Kate Washington believes the meeting should've been open to the public.

"At long last she is meeting with some community members in Newcastle, but I know that the community would have preferred a public meeting," she said.

Port Stephens MP, Kate Washington

Gabrielle Upton has defended the decision not to hold a public meeting saying she was concerned to hear genuinely from the residents out of the the glare of publicity.

Williamtown PFAS Chemical Footprint Expanded

BY IAN CROUCH

More homes have been caught up in the Williamtown contamination crisis.

An expert panel appointed to assess the human health risk has expanded the so-called red zone following the release of new data showing the potential toxic plume is larger than first thought.

A further 250 families in Fullerton Cove and Salt Ash now face restrictions on what they can eat and drink on their properties.

Environment Protection Authority Chair, Barry Buffier has this health advice for affected residents.

"Don't use any other form of water apart from reticulated water. It's that ingestion - that accidental ingestion which is the key message," he said.

NSW EPA Chairman Barry Buffier, NSW Chief Scientist Mary O'Kane and Parliamentary Secretary for The Hunter Scot MacDonald Announce The Revised Contamination Footprint Picture theherald.com.au

Local MP's sidelined on Williamtown Contamination

BY SARAH BARONOWSKI

Paterson MP Meryl Swanson says "it's a disgrace" the NSW Government plans to exclude local MP's from the new Williamtown consultative group.

Yesterday, it was revealed an 'independent' committee will be established and members of the current Williamtown Elected Representative Group (ERG) won't be given a place.

The Government also announced plans to dissolve the ERG but Meryl Swanson says this won't stop her from continuing to defend her community.

She says the State Government is just trying to avoid answering the tough questions.

"This is an attempt by the State Government to try and shelve this, to push it back into the corner and push it back under the rug and it's not good enough. We won't have it.

"This is a disgrace and we are continuing to fight and we won't be silenced on this."

The Paterson MP also claims it's "poor form" for Parliamentary Secretary of the Hunter, Scot Macdonald to suggest the ERG isn't taking the Williamtown contamination issue seriously by listening to the concerns of residents.

Paterson MP Meryl Swanson

"I was affronted by Scot Macdonald's suggestion yesterday that our community concerns are not treated with sensitivity and confidentiality. I have never once breached the confidence of a meeting.

"That was particularly poor form to suggest that politicians would misrepresent members of the community. That is not accurate."

It is not currently known what role the new committee will play.

The Williamtown community has pushed back against this announcement, saying they want their local MP's to represent them on the issue.

Revealed: Defence Department Knew Williamtown Contamination Risks For Decades

BY IAN CROUCH

The Defence Department could be staring down the barrel of one of the biggest compensation payouts for environmental damage in the nation's history over it's handling of the contamination issue at RAAF bases across Australia including Williamtown.

It's been revealed the department knew about the potential danger to human health from firefighting chemicals leaching into ground water at Williamtown more than 3 years before it told residents.

An ABC Four Corners investigation has found Defence knew about the potential risks since the 1980's and yet continued to use the firefighting foam containing the toxic PFAS chemicals for decades, allowing runoff to leach into ground water.

Defence Department Deputy Secretary, Steve Grzeskowiak has told the ABC, they'd approach the issue differently if they had their time again.

"Today, with the knowledge that we have, I think we'd have done things differently - I think of that there's no doubt. I think if we had our time again, should we have told the community back in the middle of 2012? - we probably should," he said.

Defence Department Deputy Secretary Steve Grzeskowiak

Macquarie University Professor Mark Taylor was appointed by the NSW government to investigate the contamination and has told the ABC the issue was very poorly handled by Defence.

"I am not the judge, but I wouldn't want to be Defence. When you look at the train of documents and the history, there have been significant delays. They knew quite a lot of information about the chemical. They knew it was a risk. They knew it was leaving the base and they delayed on taking action and indeed, the evidence shows they were resistant t actually informing the public," he said.

Professor Mark Taylor Picture:econews.com.au

Hemp Breakthrough For Williamtown Contamination Crisis

BY IAN CROUCH and JESSICA ROUSE

The humble hemp seed could hold the key to solving the Williamtown contamination crisis.

Researchers at the University of Newcastle say they've discovered a breakthrough which could resolve the ongoing situation at Williamtown using hemp seeds to remove the firefighting chemicals responsible for the contamination from the water.

Dr Brett Turner from the University's Centre Of Excellence for Geotechnical Science and Engineering made the discovery after being intrigued by news stories about residents of Williamtown having their blood tested for PFOS and PFOA contaminants.

"There's at least one protein in the human blood responsible for transporting around the body and this particular protein seems to have fairly strong analogies with the protein in hemp so we acquired some to test on the ground water from Williamtown and we were absolutely astounded at the results," said Dr Brett.

The Centre has received a grant of $600,000 from the state government to investigate the ability to treat large volumes of contaminated water. The university has also contributed an extra $220,000.

"So the money is to drive the research forward a little bit more and hopefully get to a point where we can have a small scale filter system, that we can go out hopefully to Lake Cochran at Williamtown and do some larger volumetric testing," said Dr Brett.

Image Newcastle Herald

The researchers also want to look into how fast the reaction occurs on the larger scale, what the optimum dose is needed to remove the contaminants and find a solution to destroying the contaminants once they're removed from the water.

Dr Turner says although the research is in its early stages, he is very confident this could be the start of something big.

"We're very confident and very hopeful. The initial results have removed the PFOA levels to below the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines in one part and we've had very very good removal, over 99.2 per cent removal of the PFOS as well,"

"The initial results were absolutely astounding and we hope to move forward so we can do something productive and useful for the people n the red zone and other people that are affected around the world."

Pollutants found outside Williamtown red zone

BY MICHAEL COOK

The New South Wales environmental watchdog has agreed to reconsider the boundaries of Williamtown's contamination red zone following evidence that firefighting chemicals have been found outside the border.

A couple in Fullerton Cove who live outside the red zone have returned alarming blood test results showing they contained harmful chemicals more than 10 times above the national average for their age.

Residents in the area are bemused after they said they were verbally reassured they should not be alarmed by NSW Environment Protection Authority officials.

NSW Shadow Minister for the Environment, Penny Sharpe says more needs to be done for residents living near the red zone.

"We need to know how far this contamination is impacting on people and the EPA needs to take action," she said.

Contaminated water has been leaking from the RAAF base for years
Source: http://www.news.com.au/technology/environment/williamtown-water-contamination-highlights-dangers-of-pfos-and-pfoa/news-story/90ad98e6fe99fe78641d91a7e9596a3c

Urgency ramps up for Williamtown residents

BY JESSICA ROUSE

The Williamtown contamination saga continues to escalate, with shocking revelations over the weekend there is a possible "cancer cluster" within the red zone.

Fairfax reported over the weekend that at least 24 people have had cancer in the last 15 years who have been living on just one part of a heavily polluted street - Cabbage Tree Road.

In the wake of these unbelievable results, Hunter based One Nation Senator Brian Burston is threatening to withdraw his support in the Senate for some of the government's budget measures unless it makes a move to fund the relocation of residents who want out of the Williamtown red zone.

Senator Burston has labelled the number of cancers as "extraordinary" and "too large to be coincidental".

Image news.com.au

Residents were already desperate to get out of the Williamtown red zone and now the urgency has been ramped up.

President of the Fullerton Cove Resident Action Group Lindsay Clout can't believe what has come out to light and fears that the possibility of a "cancer cluster" may not be confined just to Cabbage Tree Road, but it could be the same for many areas across Fullerton Cove and Salt Ash.

"People need to be moved out now. We've spent two years soft-shoeing around this and we've been telling defence all the way along, the longer that they delay the moving of people out, the more information that's going to come out that's damning as a result of this contamination - and that's what's happening."

Paterson MP Meryl Swanson is deeply concerned for residents and is urging the government to give residents a solution, and give it to them fast. She, as well as her fellow Labor members, have contacted the Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister's office in a bid to get an urgent briefing on the Turnbull Government's "solution" whatever it may be.

"Labor has put in a request for two meetings - one with the Department of Health and the Minister for Health and the second one is with the Prime Ministers task force so we have put those in already this morning, that has happened and it's in the making."

Defence Officer in it for the long haul at Williamtown

BY JESSICA ROUSE

Residents in Williamtown are still in the midst of the contamination scandal, with no end in sight just yet.

From Defence's perspective, Australian Senior Defence Officer based at Williamtown, Commodore Craig Heap believes the PFAS taskforce being lead by Senator James Mcgrath under Prime Minister Malcom Turnbull's Government is the best way forward at this stage.

Commodore Heap has been working on the contamination since the beginning and has no plans on stopping until the issue is cleared up.

He says there will eventually be a solution, it's just a matter of finding the best one.

"At the moment I would summarise it as it's been a long journey as I've said. The community is after and wants answers and wants actions from those answers, we're getting through some of them. Are we there yet? No not yet with government but really going into that it's all about state and federal government as you see through the government's taskforce lead by Senator Mcgrath."

Commodore Heap says he's doing everything he can to make sure resident's stories are being heard.

"My role really is to do what I can to get the message from affected members in the community whether its through formal processes like the community reference group or more informal processes where I'm meeting with the affected people in their homes on occasion to actually get the real story and the affects and give them the best information that we can."

Paterson MP Meryl Swanson: Be on notice.

BY JESSICA ROUSE

Paterson MP Meryl Swanson's persistence paid off yesterday when Williamtown residents finally had the opportunity to meet with Defence Minister Marise Payne and head of the Prime Minister's contamination taskforce Senator James McGrath.

Behind closed doors on a cattle farm in Salt Ash, 20 residents told their harrowing stories face-to-face with people who could make a difference, and residents hoped it did.

It's a meeting the Paterson MP has been pushing for some time, and finally, the Defence Minister made good on her promise to come to Williamtown and meet with residents if she was re-elected.

Residents stories will be taken back to Canberra, and Meryl Swanson says it couldn't be too soon.

"You've come, you've said that you've heard us, I am supportive of what they've done today and I'll sing their praises for that but if they let us down all bets are off. We've given them faith and trust and I've played nicely politically today but, be on notice. We want action in Williamtown. it must happen."

Many residents are locked into a situation they simply can't see the end of.

"Can there be nothing worse than being a prisoner in your own home through no fault of your own. They don't want their bodies contaminated, they don't want their water contaminated and they don't want their properties contaminated"

Senator McGrath said he was touched by the harrowing stories of residents and is "deadly serious" about putting a plan in place to put an end to the contamination crisis.

"It's just so powerful when you sit and you hear it and you've actually got to look people in the eyes while they tell you we're still paying our mortgage while we rent somewhere else because we don't want our children to be exposed to this. We're retired, this is the only investment we have in our retirement," said Meryl Swanson.

Williamtown contamination takes disturbing turn

BY JESSICA ROUSE

In another disturbing twist in the Williamtown contamination, families outside of the 'red zone' are finding toxic levels of firefighting chemicals in their blood.

The latest victims of the contamination are unborn babies with the toxic chemicals being found in their blood while they're still in the womb.

Mark and Karen Grant were faced with this reality when their newborn tested positive in a blood test taken just moments after she was born.

The family moved out of the area almost immediately - even though they couldn't sell their property.

The young family aren't the only ones who have been affected outside of the contamination zone, Sue Walker and her husband Stephen also have high levels of toxins in their blood.

Sue has tested positive to having three times the national average and more than double the amount of her husband.

The couple are completely baffled as to how they could have so much of the chemical in their system as they live 40 metres outside of the contamination zone.

"I've attended a lot of the drop in sessions, I've written many many letters, and in those letters and at those drop in sessions i'v always questioned whether this could be airborne but no one has really addressed the issue at all," said Sue.

She says the only possible answer she can think of it that the chemicals are airborne as she spends a lot of time outside mowing and gardening, compared to her husband who is a train driver.

"What we do need is Defence to clean up this mess. I mean they speak about safe levels of exposure but there's no safe level of exposure as far as we're concerned and Defence need to start to clean it up and address the problem."

Sue and her husband say they'll keep fighting and trying to look after their health, because right now they can't do much else.

'they've indicted that whilst ever we stay here, I'm still exposed to the contaminant so ideally we should leave but that's just impossible. You cant just walk away from your home," said Sue.

New Toxic Chemical Guidelines Impact Williamtown Residents

BY IAN CROUCH

Residents impacted by the chemical contamination at the Williamtown RAAF Base are calling for an apology from enHealth after Food Standards Australia and New Zealand lowered the recommended safe levels of PFOS and PFOA in drinking water.

The new standard brings Australia in line with the more conservative US recommended levels, which is what the community had been originally calling for.

The safe level of PFOS has been lowered from .5 to .07 micrograms per litre, while the PFOA level has been slashed from 5 to 0.56 micrograms.

Williamtown residents are again being told to avoid eating home-grown food using contaminated water.

Residents In The Williamtown Red Zone Face More Uncertainty Picture:newsofthearea.com

Calls for Investigation into Newcastle Contamination

BY SARAH BARONOWSKI

The State Government is being urged to hold a public information forum to address recent reports on heavy metal contamination in NEWCASTLE.

According to a report by MACQUARIE University, high levels of lead and copper can be found in many of NEWCASTLE's backyards and parks.

The levels found are considered to be dangerous to human health and Shadow Minister for the Environment, Penny Sharpe says the government needs to act.

"The EPA (Environment Protection Authority) has been silent really since this came out late last year and we think it's time that they need to step up," she said.

After the contamination at Williamtown, Penny Sharpe says she doesn't want a repeat in Newcastle.

"We know what happened in Williamtown. The EPA sat on the information for years," she said.

"We know that there are issues with industrial pollution that really impact on families that are moving in here and live here. It's time that the government provide information to the community so they know they're safe."

Newcastle MP, Tim Crakanthorp is also urging the government to hold a forum so Hunter residents understand how to manage contamination if it's found.

He says their response to this issue is poor.

"The government is very slowly to react on this. It should be acting quickly. It should have the EPA up here informing the community what this research means.

"Whether it's a veggie patch here in the back garden or children playing in the park, this government needs to set its resources onto this issue to make the public aware, through a public forum, of exactly what the contamination is and what that means for the people of Newcastle and the Hunter," he said.

Newcastle MP, Tim Crakanthorp and Shadow Minister for the Environment, Penny Sharpe with New Lambton resident Sue Walmsley 

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten concerned for Williamtown residents

BY JESSICA ROUSE

Federal Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has personally phoned residents affected by the Williamtown 'red zone'.

Jamie and Samantha Kelly discovered their 10-month old son had significant levels of toxic firefighting chemicals in his blood - something Mr Shorten says is incredibly concerning. 

Mr Shorten personally contacted the family after meeting them two months ago when he was in the area.

The family are moving into a new rental property in Newcastle and Ms Kelly told the Newcastle Herald they had been inundated with kindness from the wider community. 

Paterson MP Meryl Swanson says the problem isn't going away and she won't stop fighting for the Williamtown residents.

"I think the most important thing is that we maintain the pressure on this government to do something for these people and I am doing everything within my power to keep the profile of this story up in Canberra. I'm talking to as many people as I possibly can and Bill is certainly one of those people."

Hunter MP Thrown Out Of Parliament

BY IAN CROUCH

Federal Paterson MP, Meryl Swanson says she'll gladly risk being thrown out of parliament again if it means standing up for her constituents.

The former radio host was given her marching orders after yelling out across the chamber during question time at Defence Industry Minister Christopher Pyne, demanding to know who's responsible for the Williamtown contamination scandal.

Meryl Swanson says the government is ducking and weaving on the issue.

"We just want a straight-forward answer and we want someone to give the people of Williamtown the answers that they're so desperately seeking, and I do not walk away from defending those people and I will continue to do it even if it means I am ejected form the chamber, I will continue to stick up for them and ask those questions and seek to have them answered," she said.

Paterson Mp Meryl Swanson

Williamtown 'Elected Representative Group' Slammed

BY TANYA DU PREEZ

The NSW Government has come under fire for scheduling a Williamtown Elected Representative Group meeting at a time when both State and Federal Parliaments are sitting.

The meetings are designed to brief local elected members on actions being taken in response to the Williamtown RAAF contamination.

Federal Member for Paterson Meryl Swanson and State Member for Port Stephens Kate Washington have openly voiced their dissatisfaction with the running of the group.

"The residents of Salt Ash and Williamtown have elected Kate and me to ask questions on their behalf, so now the Government is scheduling these meetings at a time when we can't attend. It is outrageous," says Ms Swanson.

The Group is chaired and convened by Parliamentary Secretary for the Hunter Scot Macdonald, a member of the NSW Upper House.

"He would be aware of my commitments as a member of Shadow Cabinet, to attend a Shadow cabinet meeting in Sydney on Monday," says Ms Washington.

"The timing of today's meeting confirms that it's been a charade from the beginning."

Meryl Swanson and Kate Washington have slammed the Williamtown Elected Representative Group (The Herald)