There will be no government-sponsored testing of Katherine residents to discover if they have high levels of chemicals in their blood.
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Not until next year at least.
Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt has rejected the NT Government’s request to launch the free blood testing study immediately to try and allay people’s fears.
The blood testing program has been offered to other communities impacted by chemical contamination from nearby defence bases.
PFAS chemicals contained in firefighting foams from the Tindal RAAF Base have already been found in Katherine’s drinking water, although at what the government says are safe levels.
NT Health Minister Natasha Fyles received the knock back in a letter from Mr Hunt in the past few weeks.
Mr Hunt said Territorians would only be included in its health and welfare programs “once detailed defence investigations are complete”.
In Katherine’s case, although the study has started the results and final report are not expected until next year.
Lobbying by the NT Government and even Federal Opposition defence spokeswoman Gai Brodtmann, who visited Katherine a few weeks ago, has come to nought.
“The Territory Labor government believes Katherine residents have a right to control over their lives and access to high quality health services,” Ms Fyles said.
“That’s why I have written twice to my federal counterpart calling for Territorians to be included in the national roll out of voluntary blood testing.”
She made no further explanation of the NT PFAS interagency working group which working with Defence to “ensure that detailed environmental investigations have local input and that the community is regularly updated”, as was stated earlier in the year.
She said the Territory Labor Government has lobbied and will continue to lobby for Territorians at affected sites to be:
- included in the national epidemiological study
- given access to the counselling services being offered to residents around RAAF Base Williamstown in NSW and the Army Aviation Centre at Oakey in Queensland
Mr Hunt told the NT Government the Commonwealth “will be in a position to consider the expansion of these services and programs to affected areas in the Northern Territory once Defence has completed further investigations and the extent of contamination and exposure pathways are better understood”.
Ms Fyles said the NT Government would welcome the earlier inclusion of Territorians in national health and welfare programs being offered in parts of Qld and NSW.
“As the Minister responsible for health I will continue to lobby my federal counterpart on behalf of Territorians living in affected areas.”
Chris McLennan
ACM national rural property writer based in Bacchus Marsh, Victoria. Career journalist. Multi award winner.
ACM national rural property writer based in Bacchus Marsh, Victoria. Career journalist. Multi award winner.
