The Federal Government has apologised for the impacts of PFAS contamination in one part of NSW.

During a community meeting in Jervis Bay, Assistant Defence Minister Matt Thistlethwaite apologised to the community, which is predominantly Aboriginal, for the impact of PFAS contamination on their land. 

This marks the first public apology by the federal government to the Jervis Bay community. MR Thistlethwaite acknowledged that the cultural impact of PFAS on the Jervis Bay community differs from that of other communities. 

He explained that the Department of Defence has developed a remediation action plan that involves purifying groundwater before returning it to the environment. 

Mr Thistlethwaite pledged to assist with cultural preservation efforts and involve the Minister for Indigenous Affairs Linda Burney in the process.

In 2016, the Department of Defence identified PFAS-contaminated areas around Jervis Bay, which resulted from firefighting foams used on the naval base HMAS Creswell and the Jervis Bay Range Facility since the 1970s. 

Reports published in 2017 and 2018 revealed that the synthetic chemicals had contaminated waterways and aquatic life. 

While residents were advised to limit their intake of shellfish from certain waterways, the department of defence maintains that drinking water in the Jervis Bay Territory is safe. 

Alison Clifton, the head of the national PFAS investigation and management program for Defence, explained that Defence was in the process of trying to remediate the site. 

A temporary treatment plant is in place to treat surface water, while a longer-term solution is currently in the design phase. 

Ms Clifton assured the community that Defence intends to remove as much PFAS as possible, and she hopes that the remediation efforts will demonstrate improvement over time. 

The Department of Defence was unable to provide an estimate of how long remediation of the land would take.