15th Aug 2018, 3:57 PM – Senate Motions - Defence Facilities - Chemical Contamination

The majority voted against a motion introduced by One Nation Senator Brian Burston, which means it failed.

Motion text

That the Senate:

(a) notes that:

(i) since September 2015, there have been a number of parliamentary inquiries into contamination of Defence-owned and neighbouring properties by per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances and chemicals (PFAS), and

(ii) the upcoming Christmas will be the fourth Christmas that the residents living in the so-called 'red zone' surrounding Williamtown RAAF base in New South Wales will have had to endure with no resolution from the Federal Government; and

(b) calls on the Federal Government to:

(i) immediately implement a voluntary buy-out programme for affected property owners of PFAS contamination originating from Defence-owned land,

(ii) ensure the voluntary buy-out programme is at market rates for the affected properties prior to the public announcement of the contamination, plus the average increase in property values in the region since,

(iii) provide monetary compensation for those that wish to remain living at their property, and

(iv) ban the use of PFAS substances and chemicals, which have contaminated at least 90 communities across the country as a result of their use in fire retardants for decades.