On Wednesday 18 September 2019 the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade initiated under its annual report powers an inquiry into the elimination and remediation of PFAS-related impacts in and around defence bases.

The focus of the review was work progressed under the ‘National PFAS Investigation and Management Program’, as reported in Chapter 9 of the Department of Defence 2017 18 Annual Report.

The Committee intended the review to operate as a watching brief of government activity during the 46th Parliament. The Committee notes the intensive community consultation in the previous parliament.

The PFAS Sub-committee undertook the scrutiny process and called on key government agencies to give public account of their progress in relation to the ‘National PFAS Investigation and Management Program’. The Sub-committee also invited updates from the community and experts; and reported regularly to Parliament on matters under investigation over the period of review.

Information on the program of public hearings is available on this website. Please contact the secretariat, details below, with any questions.

The Committee's final report for its inquiry was tabled in the Senate on 30 March 2022. The Committee also presented two interim reports, in December 2019 and August 2020 respectively.

For information on the PFAS inquiry and report completed during the 45th parliament see Completed inquiries and reports on the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade website.