On 12 September 2025, the PFAS National Coordinating Body was established to improve the national response to PFAS contamination. The establishment of the PFAS National Coordinating Body was a key recommendation agreed by Government from the PFAS Independent Review.

The membership of the National Coordinating Body includes senior representatives from all key portfolios, including Health, Environment and Infrastructure, together with state and territory officials, to promote a stronger and more integrated government response to PFAS.

The Assistant Minister for Defence, The Hon Peter Khalil MP has direct oversight of the National Coordinating Body. Assistant Minister Khalil will work with the Northern Territory Minister for Lands, Planning and Environment, Joshua Burgoyne, and the Queensland Minister for the Environment, Andrew Powell, to review recommendations and advice provided by the National Coordinating Body.

The National Coordinating Body will have oversight of 3 working groups, established across 3 key Defence bases. The working group model was recommended by the PFAS Independent Review as the best model to go forward and synchronise a national response. 

The first working group was established in November 2025 in Williamtown, NSW and will serve as a pilot to inform further PFAS working groups set to be established in the Northern Territory and Queensland in due course.

All working groups will include local community members, selected through an expressions of interest process.

Working groups:

• RAAF Base Williamtown – Williamtown Working Group established 17 November 2025.
• RAAF Base Tindal – Tindal Working Group expected to be established in 2026.
• Swartz Barracks – Oakey Working Group expected to be established in 2026. 

Defence will provide the secretariat resourcing for the PFAS National Coordinating Body and the subsidiary working groups.