The Federal Government has opened yet another formal inquiry into per-and poly-fluoroalkyl substance contamination from its defence bases.
"The aim of this inquiry is to provide the community information about actual progress in remediation of PFAS-related harms to humans and the environment, what is being done, when, and how effective it is and an opportunity to comment," chair of the PFAS subcommittee Dr John McVeigh said on Monday.
It will be the third inquiry into PFAS contamination initiated by the Defence Department in four years.
Fullerton Cove resident and president of the national Coalition Against PFAS Lindsay Clout described the government's latest move as a "farce".
"A government inquiry into a government inquiry that the government has refused to respond to," he said.
The government is yet to respond to a Senate inquiry that recommended, among other things, a compensation scheme and the possibility of buybacks for affected residents.
Queensland MP Andrew Laming, who chaired the inquiry, broke Liberal ranks last December when he made an emotional speech calling on the Coalition government to compensate residents.
He has since been removed from his position on the Joint Standing Committee.
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"Dr McVeigh is chair of this latest Inquiry committee simply because the previous chair, Liberal MP Andrew Laming, was dumped when he and his committee called for immediate action to remediate and compensate communities suffering PFAS contamination," Mr Clout said.
Greens NSW Senator, Dr Mehreen Faruqi, said the government's attempts to evaderesponsibility for PFAS contamination was is deeply frustrating for communities.
"We will use every avenue we have to keep pressure on the Government," she said.
"PFAS contamination is an issue that isn't going away. The number of sites being investigated for PFAS contamination seem to grow every week so the government needs to stop dragging their heels, take responsibility and act as a matter of urgency."
