Progress on spray review

An expert medical panel will formally assess links between chemical spraying of weeds and long-term illnesses among former Agriculture Protection Board (APB) workers in the Kimberley.

The panel will be organised by the WA Health Department and report to the Minister for Health and State Cabinet.

The need to test the linkage scientifically will be crucial in allowing the claims of former workers to be progressed through existing avenues or by further specific government response.

Formation of the panel is a key part of the State Government's response, released by Agriculture Minister Kim Chance last week, to an independent review of the work conditions, chemical exposure observations and health concerns of former APB staff engaged in chemical weed control programs in the Kimberley from 1975 to 1985.

The comprehensive review by occupational health physician Andrew Harper is aimed at determining whether there is a need for a more detailed investigation.

The review was initiated by Mr Chance who chaired a Legislative Council Standing Committee that gathered information on the issue during 1999.

"For many years there has been debate over safety and health issues associated with the use of 2,4,5-T herbicide by the APB during the 1970's and 1980's," Mr Chance said.

"The matter has been the subject of parliamentary questions and investigations since the late 1970's and the advocacy efforts of former APB workers such as Carl Drysdale have kept the issue in the public domain.

"This issue has caused a profound sense of loss within the community in the Kimberley and is of great concern to the government and myself personally.

"It is something that I personally regret and a long time ago I promised those workers that if I was ever in a position to investigate the matter further I would do so.

"For the first time a government has given the workers an opportunity to officially present their concerns through Dr Harper's review and 95 people took that opportunity.

"We now have a process in place that can start to address the long-held concerns amongst the former APB workers and a government that is prepared to take this important investigation to the next stage."

Mr Chance said the government's response would enable immediate assistance to be provided to workers in need of specialist medical care, which was the primary concern.

He acknowledged that some people would prefer the government to immediately accept all responsibility and pay compensation, but a technical committee had recommended a clear course of action in the interests of overall government responsibility.

"Dr Harper has provided documented evidence that suggests illnesses and possibly deaths have occurred as a result of the exposure to chemicals during spraying programs," Mr Chance said.

"Dr Harper's work does not purport to be a scientific review, however its findings provide sufficient anecdotal information to raise concern.

"Further investigation by an appropriately constituted panel including medical experts is now required to determine the extent of a causal link or correlation between health effects and chemical use."

In his review Dr Harper reached five conclusions: safety and work practices were inadequate relative to today's standards as well as those in effect at the time; APB policies were consistent with advice from health authorities; illness did develop in association with the spray but this tended not to be diagnosed by treating doctors as chemical-related illness; alienation has developed and is felt by those who were exposed to the spray; and exposure to unregulated levels of dioxin cannot be ruled out.

Mr Chance said Dr Harper made 16 recommendations to the government, seven of which were predicated on there being a causal link between health effects and chemical use and will therefore be referred to the expert panel for scientific evaluation before they can be properly considered.

"The other nine recommendations have been accepted by government and are being acted upon," the Minister said.

These include: compilation of a complete demographic record of former APB employees involved in the spraying to continue, including documentation of deaths; periodic health monitoring of Department of Agriculture employees involved in such chemical use; claims of racial inequity in Department of Agriculture employment in the Kimberley are already being addressed through the Department's Aboriginal Employment and Development Strategy; development of non-chemical methods of weed control is an established objective of the Department of Agriculture; and all participants who contributed to the review being kept informed of progress and decisions.

Mr Chance said Dr Harper had also recommended that all actions be implemented in a manner of reconciliation, which was in line with the Gallop Government's policy to work with Aboriginal people in partnership.