PFAS Investigation &
Management Program

Defence cannot provide health advice. This is the role of respective Australian Government, State/Territory and local health authorities and practitioners.

Defence relies on the enHealth Guidance Statements on per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances, available on the Department of Health website: www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/content/health-pubhlth-publicat-environ.htm.

The following links are provided to support community awareness:

• Department of Health (Australian Government) – Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) website
• Guidance on the use of rainwater tanks (Commonwealth)

The PFAS Coordination Unit at the Department of Health has established a public information service for all public enquiries relating to health and the Health-led initiatives developed in response to PFAS contamination. They can be contacted using the details below:

• 1800 941 180
• health.PFAS@health.gov.au

The Environmental Health Standing Committee (enHealth) of the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee advises that there is currently no consistent evidence that exposure to PFOS and PFOA causes adverse human health effects.

However, because these chemicals persist in humans and the environment, enHealth recommends that human exposure to these chemicals is minimised as a precaution.

Accordingly, Defence has adopted a precautionary approach and is providing alternative sources of drinking water as an interim measure to eligible residents located within an area currently under investigation or management where PFOS or PFOA is detected in a residential bore, rainwater tank or other existing source of drinking water. Defence may also provide drinking water to residents in other exceptional circumstances. Each household’s drinking water requirements will be assessed on a case-by-case basis to determine the most appropriate water supply arrangements that Defence may be able to provide.

To arrange to have your bore or rainwater tank tested or to find out if you are eligible for water assistance, please contact the project team by phone or email. You will be asked to complete a short survey to gather information about your water use and this information will be used to assess your eligibility for alternative water.

If you are eligible for water assistance as an interim measure, there is no cost in getting alternative water delivery from Defence.

The provision of alternative water supplies by Defence will be reviewed on completion of the environmental investigation, or sooner if information obtained during the environmental investigation suggests such a review is warranted. The project team will contact residents directly about any proposed changes to water assistance arrangements.

The health and safety of military and civilian personnel is a primary concern of Defence.

While we know that PFAS can persist in humans, animals and the environment, there is currently no consistent evidence that PFAS are harmful to human health. However, since these chemicals remain in humans and the environment for many years, it is recommended that human exposure to PFAS be minimised as a precaution.

More information around potential health effects and exposure pathways can be found on the Australian Government Department of Health factsheet.

The following services are available to current and former Defence members in relation to exposure to PFAS:

ADF Historical Occupational Exposure Record
For current ADF members, Defence has developed the ADF Historical Occupational Exposure Record to facilitate reporting of past exposures to any potential occupational hazard. This allows ADF members to record any historical exposures that have not already been recorded in their medical record.

Current ADF members should consult with their ADF Health practitioner for advice on accessing this scheme.

ADF members using the Australian Defence Force Historical Occupational Exposure Record should use this system alone and not report additionally via the DAHCES.

Defence Asbestos and Hazardous Chemicals Exposure Scheme (DAHCES)
The Defence Asbestos and Hazardous Chemicals Exposure Scheme (DAHCES) is open to current and former employees of the Department of Defence and former ADF personnel (including Cadets), who suspect that they have been exposed to asbestos or a chemical (including PFAS) as a result of their employment with Defence.

Persons wishing to participate in the DAHCES should call 1800 DEFENCE (1800 333 3623) to register their details and access further information.

Blood Testing
Australian Defence Force members who live or work, or have lived or worked in the Williamtown or Oakey Management Areas or Katherine Investigation Area are able to access PFAS blood tests through their usual ADF garrison health service.

The Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) encourages all serving and ex-serving members of the ADF to lodge claims for any diagnosed conditions they believe are related to any part of their defence service, including those involving exposure to PFAS. For any enquiries regarding eligibility or the claiming process, DVA representatives can be contacted at:

• Metropolitan callers: 133 254
• Regional callers: 1800 555 254
• Email: generalenquiries@dva.gov.au

If an individual or business considers that they have suffered a loss or injury as a consequence of Defence activities, it is open to that individual or business to make a claim. Each claim should identify:

1. the nature of the loss or injury suffered,
2. the value of the loss or injury suffered, and
3. the reason(s) why the claimant considers that loss or injury are the consequences of Defence activities.

Alternatively, an individual or business may complete a claim form.

The claimant should attach any relevant documentation to support their claim, whether they use the claim form or not. Once a claim is received and considered by Defence, the claimant may be requested to provide further documentation. 

Claims can be sent by email to dl.specialcounsel@defence.gov.au or by post to:

Office of Defence Special Counsel
Defence Legal Division
CP2-4-061
PO Box 7911
Canberra ACT 2610

All claims will be assessed consistently with the Attorney-General’s Legal Services Directions 2005.

Information obtained by Defence in the course of this investigation program, including results of sampling taken from residential properties, will be used to identify whether PFAS (including PFOS, PFHxS and/or PFOA) are present in the environment and, if so, to understand the extent of the presence and levels of these chemicals. The information will also be used during engagement with local, State and Commonwealth authorities, as well as communities, to determine what action, if any, needs to occur as a result.

Information will be collected by Defence, or by the contractor who is conducting the investigation at each site on behalf of Defence. Information may be collected through the completion of surveys, collection of samples and analysis, calls to the Project Team hotline, and other interactions with members of the public. Contact details for the Project Team contractor are available on the Contacts page.

The collection of your information is voluntary unless otherwise advised. However, if you choose not to provide any information, Defence will not be able to take into account your specific circumstances when conducting the investigation, engaging with relevant authorities and the community, and taking further action.

The information you provide may be shared with Defence's technical advisors, relevant Commonwealth, State, Territory and local government agencies and organisations, and business entities directly involved in any action linked to the investigation, to the extent that is necessary for the purposes of the environmental investigation, and the determination and implementation of any further action. Such organisations may include, but are not limited to, relevant environmental, health, water and primary industry authorities.

Reports of investigations will be published on the publications page for each investigation site. These reports may include maps showing sampling sites and test results, represented as colour-coded dots. The names and addresses of property owners will not be included in the report, however individual properties may be identifiable from the maps. Similarly, while an investigation is ongoing, a map showing sampling sites and test results, represented as colour-coded dots, may be prepared and released to the public in order to keep the community informed.

If you have any questions about how your personal information will be collected and handled in the course of the investigation program, please contact the National PFAS Environmental Management Program hotline on 1800 365 414 or by email to PFASDefenceCoordination@golder.com.au

The Defence Privacy Policy is available at http://www.defence.gov.au/privacy.asp. The Defence Privacy Policy contains information on how you may apply for access to your personal information and how you may apply to have your personal information amended. The Defence Privacy Policy also contains information on how to make a privacy complaint to Defence if you consider Defence may have breached the Australian Privacy Principles. The Defence Privacy Officer can be contacted by email at: defence.privacy@defence.gov.au.