Brian Burston (NSW, Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Health, Senator McKenzie. Is the minister aware that the Royal Australasian College of Physicians, which trains and represents over 25,000 medical and trainee specialists across Australia and New Zealand, recently made a submission to the newly-formed expert health panel on PFAS chemicals and argues for a national ban on firefighting foam and says Australia should've ratified a global agreement made nearly a decade ago to phase out their contaminants?

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Minister for Regional Communications) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Burston for his question. The global agreement that you refer to is actually the responsibility of the minister for the environment, but I'm happy to assist, inasmuch as I'm able—through you, Mr President.

In terms of what our government is doing on the ground, we're supporting the communities, including Williamtown, Oakey and Katherine, by providing: an epidemiological study that will help us better understand the human health implications of exposure to PFAS; a voluntary blood-testing program for residents living in the investigation areas around the Williamtown, Oakey and Tindal bases; dedicated mental health and counselling services to assist communities affected by PFAS contamination, including an online telephone counselling service; and a communication strategy focusing on the human health related aspects of PFAS.

On 14 March 2018, the Chief Medical Officer, Professor Brendan Murphy, announced that services under the community support package for Tindal will be available from Saturday, 17 March 2018. This includes a voluntary blood testing program component, available for a 13-month period from 17 March 2018 until 30 April 2019. The Australian government has also extended the voluntary blood testing program in Williamtown, New South Wales, and Oakey, Queensland, until 30 April 2019, to better align with the blood serum component of the epidemiological study being conducted by the Australian National University.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Burston, a supplementary question?

Brian Burston (NSW, Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Is the minister also aware that, in their submission, the Royal Australasian College of Physicians said that the existing enHealth advice, as currently worded, is highly problematic, in that it does not adequately address the entire body of evidence, including that from the US EPA, the German Human Biomonitoring Commission, Public Health England and the United Nations Stockholm Convention, which all link exposure to PFAS with adverse health effects?

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Minister for Regional Communications) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Again recognising that this is outside my ministerial responsibilities or those of the Minister for Health: the government understands that some communities potentially affected by PFAS contamination are concerned about how this may affect them. Their wellbeing is the government's absolute focus, and we'll work closely with them to provide advice and assistance as quickly as possible.

As a government, we rely on advice from independent, scientific research authorities such as enHealth. The current research indicates that there is currently no consistent evidence that exposure to PFAS causes adverse human health effects. However, because these chemicals persist in humans and the environment, it is recommended that human exposure is minimised as a precaution. We will continue to be guided by the expert scientific advice and the literature from international and Australian-based researchers.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Burston, a final supplementary question?

Brian Burston (NSW, Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'd be concerned, Minister, about the 50 who have contracted cancer in a five-kilometre stretch along Cabbage Tree Road. Ask their opinion of that answer. Will the government listen to the advice of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians, who, in their submission, strongly advocate for a change to the national health advice that provides a more complete picture of the evidence for the human health effects?

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Minister for Regional Communications) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Burston, as I said previously, the Australian government takes the advice of enHealth as the independent scientific advisory body. In terms of research into PFAS, the government has committed to funding $12.5 million for a national research program into the human health effects of prolonged exposure to PFAS, to be administered as a targeted call for research by the National Health and Medical Research Council, and it's appropriate and sensible that governments of all persuasions act on these issues in accordance with the advice of independent scientific experts.