National body to head clean-up of 'forever chemicals'

Residents in communities affected by toxic "forever chemicals" have been promised a consistent approach to tackle the problem under a national co-ordinating body.

The federal government has handed down its response to a review of contamination from per-and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) near three defence bases.

The review had called for stronger action to address pollution from the chemicals, which don't break down.

As part of the process, the government agreed to set up a national co-ordinating body that will be in charge of management responses to PFAS contamination at the Williamtown air force base in NSW, the Army Aviation Centre Oakey in Queensland and the Tindal air force base in the NT.

Many landowners living near the defence bases have been affected by toxic firefighting foam contamination.

The co-ordinating body will be overseen by federal and state ministers.

Defence Personnel Minister Matt Keogh said a nationally consistent approach was needed to tackle the issue of PFAS.

"(PFAS) has been used on defence bases in a way that has caused contamination to the land, not only on those bases, but in the land around those bases as well," he told reporters in Williamtown on Thursday.

"The community here in Williamtown in particular has really suffered as a consequence of that contamination, not just in terms of the impact on land, but the anxiety that it has caused for the community."

A working group in Williamtown will also provide information on how PFAS could be mitigated.

The co-ordinating body was among the 18 recommendations from the review agreed to by the federal government.

Mr Keogh said the body would also help provide communities affected by PFAS with information on efforts to address contamination.

"This is really important that we take a nationally co-ordinated approach across all the relevant departments ... but also critically sharing the science, which is evolving rapidly at this time, so that communities know what's going on," he said.

Australia began phasing out certain types of PFAS-containing firefighting foams in 2004 but their use has left a costly legacy of contamination at defence bases and airports.

The defence department in 2020 paid landholders near the three defence bases a combined $212.5 million as part of a class action.