Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Defence, Senator Payne. I refer the minister to a Newcastle Herald article on 26 October titled 'Toxic truth: Water warning repeated', which details how Defence provided advice in mid-October to local residents that there was nothing in their water supply to be concerned about. Yet, within a week, the New South Wales Environment Protection Authority had reissued warnings about water supplies being contaminated by toxic chemicals thought to have leaked from the nearby RAAF Base Williamtown. Given the seriousness of this public health matter, what steps have you taken to end the contradictory and confusing advice being given to local communities by Defence?