THERE is no proven causal link between the ingestion of PFOS and/or PFOA and future human health conditions, however health studies have shown that there is a probable causal link.
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The latter evidentiary standard is sufficient to win a civil action, and this has occurred in America where plaintiffs who were PFOS/PFOA affected won their case against the defendant, duPont.
Property valuations in the red zone and slightly beyond that have plummeted to virtually zero. There is a direct causal link between this event and the discovery of PFOS/PFOA soil and water contamination at Williamtown.
Defence must know that they will be ‘done like a dinner’ if the proposed class action proceeds to court, and therefore they will no doubt settle before that occurs.
Nine months have now elapsed since the PFOS/PFOA issue arose at Williamtown, and this has been more than sufficient time for the Federal Government to adequately respond by way of plans for voluntary acquisition, compensation payments and contamination remediation.
If Defence needs more time to obtain data to formulate a remediation plan, then it should be providing regular detailed briefings to the public on what is being done. If it cannot answer questions, then it should take them on notice and provide detailed written responses later.
Defence need to take the affected residents with them on this journey. Moreover, to restore some good faith, it should immediately make interim compensation payments for the pain and suffering it has caused residents in the red zone over the last nine months.
Defence should also reimburse fishers for their loss of livelihood, release detailed proposals for containment of contamination, drainage water treatment, groundwater treatment, soil treatment, and the protection of the Tomago sand beds. Defence should also hold public meetings to enable public scrutiny of their plans.
Recently, on national television, Malcolm Turnbull stated that his government had always tackled the difficult problems. Clearly, the Williamtown contamination problem is an exception.
Residents have until the end of July to sign up to the class action. Consequently, as time is of the essence, the government and the opposition have until that time to stop the imminent lawyers’ picnic.
