Bob Baldwin (Paterson, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to bring to the attention of the House and, in particular, the Prime Minister and the Minister for Defence a very important issue surrounding the people in my electorate of Paterson and the neighbouring electorate of Newcastle. That issue is the contamination of perfluorooctane sulfonate which has leached across all the way from Fullerton Cove through to the Tilligerry Creek.

There are a number of issues that need to be addressed. What needs to be addressed are health issues and water bore sampling, and, importantly, the mental health issues which are exacerbated for those whose incomes have been stopped, whether they are commercial fishermen or those who produce chickens, eggs or beef. All have been stopped from earning their income by this contaminant. So I say to the Department of Defence: listen to what is being said by all sides of politics, because all sides of politics at one time or another have been responsible for this issue. It is not a political issue; it is bureaucratic bungling. The government needs to step up to the plate. I met with the Prime Minister on Tuesday night. I met briefly with the Minister for Defence. More needs to be done. We just cannot keep playing the waiting game and exacerbate the situation for those who have lost their income. More work needs to be done and there needs to be better coordination, but, importantly, relieving the stress for those who have lost their income must be a matter of priority for this government, because it is not the fault of those people that they have lost their income due to this contamination.