Justine Elliot (Richmond, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I call on the Turnbull government to ensure there is complete transparency with the investigation into potential PFAS contamination at Gold Coast Airport. In July, Airservices engaged an independent environmental consultant to conduct a preliminary site investigation at the airport. The purpose of the investigation was to identify any potential PFAS contamination through targeted soil, groundwater and surface water testing. I note that whilst the test results on the boundary indicated potentially low risk, Airservices continues to work with relevant agencies to determine further testing.

Airservices recently announced on 24 January that it will begin conducting a seafood sampling program in the Cobaki Broadwater adjacent to the Gold Coast Airport. The project is focused on examining if there is any potential historical PFAS contamination affecting local seafood species. In their related media release Airservices stated that they will share the results, which are expected to be available from March, with relevant Commonwealth and state environmental and health regulators and the airport as part of their ongoing work with these stakeholders in taking a risk-based approach to managing PFAS concerns at the Gold Coast Airport. I understand that Airservices will then coordinate with relevant Commonwealth and state agencies to consider the most appropriate approach to keeping the community informed.

Given that so many local community members have contacted me about their concerns—quite relevant concerns—about the potential impact of PFAS, I request that the Turnbull government ensure that Airservices provide all of that information from the investigations in an informative and timely manner to all those interested parties throughout our community, as there is a very strong interest in the result of these investigations.

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