Meryl Swanson (Paterson, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

PFAS contamination has haunted my community for the last four years. Minister after minister, the Prime Minister's office and ministers' offices have kicked the ball around for far too long. A few weeks ago I was dumbfounded to learn that blood testing for those impacted by PFAS has ended. If you don't know what it is, google it. Do yourselves a favour and learn more about this contaminant. It's not going away. It is right across Australia. We need a policy for it, and you have done absolutely nothing. You've taken away blood tests from my community.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I warn the member for Paterson that she's actually reflecting on me. I don't think she's intending to.

Meryl Swanson (Paterson, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Not at all, Mr Speaker.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

But it's not a good start to the week, I have to say.

Meryl Swanson (Paterson, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

But this government needs to do more for my community of Williamtown and indeed the community of Oakey and all of the communities that are impacted by PFAS across the country. The government have taken away blood tests. Did they let people know even by a letter or an email? No, a benign ad in a local paper was the only way that my community found out about this. They failed to take any sort of policy to the last election. In fact, their candidate didn't even show up to the community forum for all of us who were asking to represent our community. I don't blame that candidate, because they were just told to roll up in a ball by the powers up the chain. They can't come up with a policy. They can't come up with anything decent. It's been kicked from Defence to Health and Environment, and it's not good enough. (Time expired)