Malcolm Roberts (Queensland, Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Agriculture. On Tuesday night this week, Channel 9 ran yet another story about PFAS contamination of livestock around defence bases. This time the contamination was near RAAF Base Richmond. Can the minister assure the Senate that livestock raised in PFAS contamination zones is safe to send to market?

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

Thank you very much, Senator Roberts, for your question. I will have to get back to you on that particular issue. I haven't seen that particular media report, but my advice on PFAS contamination on Defence—

Hon. Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

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

Gee, it's coming in thick and fast here today! This doesn't specifically relate to livestock per se, but, as you know, the contamination of Defence Force sites with respect to PFAS has been an issue that the Senate committees and this chamber have investigated over a long period of time. Across the world, PFAS is used widely in a range of different industries and contamination by PFAS is a global issue. We're aware of it, and we're acting on community concerns regarding the exposure to PFAS. Our priority is to support affected communities and to reduce their exposure to PFAS.

My advice is that the Department of Defence is working closely with the PFAS Taskforce in the Department of the Environment and Energy, which has the whole-of-government lead in responding to this issue. Angus Taylor's area and Minister Ley's area have the whole-of-government lead. Government action and investment to date has been extensive, including measures to support local communities affected by PFAS contamination. Our government has committed substantial resources to the investigation, remediation and monitoring of sites and will continue to invest as required. Each site is different, so there's no one-size-fits-all solution, and, while the full cost of PFAS investigation, remediation and monitoring measures is not known, it will be significant. Defence will hold four community information sessions during December 2019 to present the findings of our detailed— (Time expired)

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

Senator Roberts, a supplementary question?

Malcolm Roberts (Queensland, Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, you cannot assure the Senate that livestock raised in PFAS contamination zones is safe to send to market? Based on that, can you please explain why Defence has advised farmers in contamination zones to not eat their livestock meat, vegetables or eggs, yet you say it is safe to send produce to market?

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

I said no such thing. I actually outlined a whole-of-government approach to dealing with the PFAS contamination issue on Defence sites. As I was just getting to in my previous answer, there will be four community information sessions during December to present the findings of the detailed site investigations, the human health risk assessment reports and the interim ecological risk assessment reports at the various four sites. Based on the knowledge and evidence available at this time, our government is not considering a land purchase program as a result of the PFAS contamination issue.

With respect to the health impacts of PFAS, my advice is that questions relating to health advice or guidance should be directed to the Department of Health, and our government works with Commonwealth, state and territory health authorities to ensure that human health advice and guidance on PFAS— (Time expired)

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

Senator Roberts, a final supplementary question?

Malcolm Roberts (Queensland, Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I wasn't asking about land purchases. I was asking a simple question of the Minister for Agriculture: is it safe for agricultural produce from PFAS contaminated zones to be sent to market? That's all I want to know.

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

There is no reason not to send livestock to market from these areas. As I was trying to outline to the senator, the Commonwealth, state and territory health authorities work together to ensure that human health advice and guidance on PFAS is incorporated into PFAS environmental investigations and is known and understood by affected communities. There is ongoing consultation and communication with affected communities, and there is no reason to assume that there is any reason not to consume produce that is grown on these sites.