It has been months since the Katherine community received any official updates on the town's PFAS contamination.
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The Katherine PFAS Community Consultation Group, set up within the Office of the Chief Minister in 2017, "to provide a mechanism for two-way communication with the community" has been little heard of.
A former group member told us there had been many resignations from the group and it had "failed to find a voice" locally.
The Katherine Times has been told the group now only has a handful of members, few from the community.
"Even when it was meeting no-one knew anything about it, they were surprised when I told them there was such a thing," the former member, who did not want to be identified, said.
The Department of Defence's last community update was in November last year with the release of the environmental investigation report.
The department's "regional representative" who was sent to Katherine to "provide support to the community" has gone.
"This representative was engaged to assist in the implementation of the Katherine Rainwater Tank Program, which resulted in the installation of tanks on 68 properties in Katherine. The representative was a local point of contact for community organisations addressing PFAS issues within the Katherine community," a defence spokesman said today.
Defence said it had now " transitioned" its regional representative arrangement to a "locally engaged representative".
"This local Defence Representative is available to provide information and support to the community as required," the spokesman said.
"The local Defence Representative regularly visits Katherine residents to address PFAS related matters and concerns.
"The local Defence Representative can be reached through the Investigation Information Line on 1800 316 813 or via PFAS.RAAFBaseTindal@coffey.com"
The Katherine Times has asked Defence to further identify the "local representative" who is regularly visiting residents, as it says.
Defence today said it intends to provide a newsletter to the Katherine community in the near future and would conduct a "community engagement event in the second quarter of 2019".
The little known community group comprised members of Katherine Town Council, Defence, Chamber of Commerce, Power and Water, and five community members.
"The KPCCG will help with the timely sharing of the latest information relating to PFAS and receiving community specific information first hand from community representatives," the group's operating instructions read.
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The group's last agenda, on checking earlier this week, was from June 2018.
"Our team in Katherine has been working with the council to rectify the problems you raised," a spokeswoman from the Office of the Chief Minister said today.
The spokeswoman said the council now has all agendas and minutes on their website. You can find them here.
Katherine Times understands there was a meeting of some members in November last year who agreed the group needed a new direction.
An advertisement was placed in the Katherine Times this week asking for new members to join.
The voluntary blood testing program in Katherine ends on April 30.
The Federal Health Department said 600 residents had already taken the blood tests.
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