Thursday, 8 February 2024

Water treatment

Moira DEEMING (Western Metropolitan) (14:26): (411) My question is for the Minister for Water. Last year I spent three days at Ecoforum learning from world-class experts about PFAS, the environmental contaminants that so plague my Western Metro Region. As we know, Victorian state government run corporations, such as Melbourne Water, process sewage water for redistribution to the agricultural industry via the circular water economy. The biosolids and recycled water produced are used to irrigate and fertilise farmland that produces fruit and vegetables for human consumption as well as to grow feed crops for livestock sold for human consumption. Given that in early November 2023 international experts thoroughly reviewed the published literature on PFAS and in particular PFOA and reclassified PFOA from ‘possibly carcinogenic to humans’ to ‘definitively carcinogenic to humans’, what action has the government taken to prevent human consumption of PFAS in general and in particular PFOA from application of contaminated biosolids and recycled water to agricultural land, such as in the Werribee basin?

Harriet SHING (Eastern Victoria – Minister for Housing, Minister for Water, Minister for Equality) (14:27): Mrs Deeming, I am really happy to give you an answer in relation to Werribee and the Werribee recycled water projects that you have talked to, but this also appears to be a question – when you talked about PFOS and PFOA more generally – for the attention of the Minister for Environment. I am happy to answer it in relation to water.

Moira Deeming interjected.

Harriet SHING: Okay. That is all right. That is fine. Should you want to get any general information, I am also happy to facilitate that for you as well. Thank you for raising this issue, and thank you for talking about recycled water and the way in which it forms a really important part of circular economy work and for identifying biosolids and other by-products that can and indeed do form a really important part of meeting our energy needs as well as opportunities to make sure that our productive land becomes even more productive.

The Werribee irrigation district, as you would well know, is one of the foremost areas in Australia for the production of –

Moira Deeming: On a point of order, President, I just said ‘such as in the Werribee basin’. The substantive question was: what action has the government taken to prevent human consumption of PFOA from the circular water economy?

The PRESIDENT: I will bring the minister back to the question. I think, Mrs Deeming, you were advised the question was best addressed to the Minister for Water, and the Minister for Water has indicated that maybe that was not the right thing and that the Minister for Environment would be best to answer it as a global issue. It is not in our purview that there might be an issue here, so I am happy to take advice from the minister if it would be better, if it is to be talked about globally, for it to be to the Minister for Environment.

Nick McGowan: On the point of order, President, the question gets to the treatment of the water. That is the crux of the question, so therefore it is squarely, in my view, absolutely within the purview of the Minister for Water.

The PRESIDENT: I understand, and I am trying to make sure that Mrs Deeming gets an answer to the question that satisfies her, so I am taking advice from the minister.

Harriet SHING: Thank you, President. Mrs Deeming, I am in no way trying to actually give you anything other than what will assist you in this regard. Water is, however, one way in which PFOS and PFOA can move through the system. So to the extent that that covers the water portfolio, I am really happy to provide you with information about treatment, about testing and about the way in which recycled water forms part of that system, whether it is reverse filtration or triple UV treatment.

Moira Deeming: On a point of order, President, do you want me to just read the last little bit? I am not sure if, because I had a long preamble, perhaps the substantive part was missed. Or is it the wrong minister? Do you want me to put it to a different minister?

Harriet SHING: I can give you information, but you might want broader info from the minister for this one.

Moira Deeming: I specifically just want information about what action the government has taken to prevent human consumption of PFAS, and in particular PFOA, from the circular water economy.

The PRESIDENT: I will direct that to the Minister for Environment for this purpose. I am not setting a precedent, but maybe we could reset the clock to make it easier to get –

Members interjecting.

The PRESIDENT: You have helped very much. I am not being rude.

Members interjecting.

The PRESIDENT: So you can get the answer you want – unfortunately the Minister for Environment is not here – you will get a written response. I will call the Leader of the Government, and she will probably refer it to the Minister for Environment.

Jaclyn Symes: Mrs Deeming, I think we owe you a comprehensive response to the question that you have asked, and we will pass it to Minister Dimopoulos.

Moira DEEMING (Western Metropolitan) (14:31): I am assuming this will go in the same kind of direction. It seems to me that the science on the dangers of PFAS compounds in general has been available since 2017, so my supplementary question is: when did the government become aware that Victorian water corporations knew that there was PFAS, and in particular PFOA, in the recycled water used in our circular water economy?

Jaclyn SYMES (Northern Victoria – Attorney-General, Minister for Emergency Services) (14:31): I think Mr Dimopoulos’s office will work with Minister Shing’s office and just get you all the relevant information.