More than five years after chemical run-off from an Air Force base was detected on his fish farm, Greg Semple still does not know if he will receive compensation.
He says the long wait for answers has caused stress for him and other residents impacted by PFAS contamination in the south-western New South Wales town of Wagga Wagga.
The contamination of the Murray Cod Hatcheries from firefighting foam used at the nearby RAAF Base at Forest Hill coincided with a complete collapse in production.
Officially named per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), perfluorinated chemicals are man-made compounds resistant to heat, water and oil that are used in many products.
Authorities overseas, including the US Environmental Protection Agency, have found PFOA and PFOS chemicals (a type of PFAS) can cause reproductive and developmental, liver and kidney, and immunological effects in laboratory animals.
Mr Semple said the number of healthy fish bred at the facility dropped from 1.2 million to zero over the past three decades.
"We want some finalisation and progression on this," he said.
"People are sitting around worrying about their health, being impacted with their businesses and nothing's being advanced."
On the other side of town, Michelle Mackintosh lives on a 20-acre property near the Kapooka Army Base, which was also contaminated by the so-called "forever chemical".
Residents in her area have been advised to not eat any vegetables, lamb or fish watered from dams.
"They can't even supplement their own living expenses by growing their own food because of the warning," Mrs Mackintosh said.
"You've just got to be compliant and not get pleasure out of your property with your horses or your yabbying or whatever else you do on your land."
Contamination detected
The Department of Defence detected PFAS chemicals offsite of the RAAF base in Wagga in 2016 and discovered similar contamination near the Kapooka Army Base in 2021.
Various studies have since taken place to determine the extent of the spread and potential risk to humans, which has been rated as low.
Residents who claim PFAS has tanked their property values, impacted the enjoyment of their land and caused them stress are pushing for compensation from Defence.
Mr Semple believes he is owed at least $4 million for each year of lost production, which totals up to more than $100m.
But he said discussions had barely progressed over the past five years and he felt no closer to knowing if he would be compensated.
"The problem is that we aren't advancing very much on it," Mr Semple said.
"Defence aren't willing to commit themselves to buying back properties."
Mrs Mackintosh has no plans to sell her property and said she was waiting to see what the federal government put on the table.
Shine Lawyers will be representing about 30,000 people from Darwin, Richmond (in NSW), Townsville, Wagga Wagga, Wodonga, Bullsbrook and Edinburgh in a class action over PFAS contamination in May.
Mr Semple did not register for the class action and Mrs Mackintosh's suburb of San Isidore was not included by Shine Lawyers.
No quick resolution
Assistant Minister for Defence Matt Thistlethwaite said an independent review into land use around Defence bases set to take place later this year would be an important step in determining potential compensation for PFAS-affected landowners.
"At the moment, all options are on the table," he said.
"We want to see what comes out of the review … and that will look at the land use options around Defence bases."
Member for Riverina Michael McCormack said residents needed to understand the PFAS issue will not be resolved in just a few years.
"I appreciate there are people whose property values have been devalued … compensation of course will be looked at," he said.
"It's not going to be an issue addressed in five years.
"There are still medical experts doing testing, doing groundwater surveys all the time.
"It's a matter of what compensation is required, what people are able to get through the legal system and what they're able to obtain through the various processes that parliament is putting in place."
Mr Semple said the government's handling of the issue had been "embarrassing" and communication with affected landowners could be significantly improved.
