Final report: No link found between chemical spraying and Barwon Heads cancer cluster

A FINAL report into a potential cancer cluster on the Bellarine Peninsula has revealed chemical exposures were “very likely to have insufficient levels to cause cancer”.

The Senate’s final report stated “the hypothesis of aggregate exposures causing disease is not supported by the expert scientific evidence presented to the committee” and that “very low levels did not constitute a cancer risk”.

The final report handed down on June 30 comes after the Senate Community Affairs Reference Committee began its inquiry in October 2018, receiving 43 submissions and hosting three public hearings across this time.

Residents on the Bellarine Peninsula led by Discovery 3227 have long believed that carcinogenic chemicals were used in a 1980s mosquito spraying program causing devastating and life-long illnesses.

Spokesperson for the independent research group, Ross Harrison, presented the Senate with a register of cancer and immunological diagnoses for 196 individuals who believe their conditions were associated with the spraying of chemicals over the 54-acre park and Barwon Heads Primary School.

The final report from the committee, chaired by Senator Rachel Siewert, states “the unfortunate reality is that it is almost impossible to comprehensively determine when, where and how individual chemical products were used in mosquito control”.

The Department of Health and Human Services study revealed 315 new cancer diagnoses were made between 2001 and 2006 in the town which included six cases in people aged under 34.

“In a small town like Barwon Heads, each cancer or autoimmune diagnosis can affect the whole community,” the committee’s report stated.

“It is understandable that people question why cancers and autoimmune diseases are happening in their community, especially amongst young people.”

The committee recognised that in most cases, such investigations “can only result in a disappointing outcome for the individuals with cancer”.

Despite disagreeing that chemicals used in the mosquito spraying program had caused abnormal amounts of cancer, the committee hit out at the Victorian Government for failing to inform the community about the case before the inquiry.

“The committee is of the view that the Victorian Department of Health did not sufficiently engage with individuals in the community to ‘establish the facts’ as the first step in its investigations into the fears of a cancer cluster or, more broadly, a disease cluster.”

The committee recommended the Victorian Government “urgently” prepare and release a comprehensive report explaining the findings of the epidemiological studies, and Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton should meet with concerned members of the community.

It is also recommended the Victorian Government review and update the Framework for Mosquito Management in Victoria which has not been amended since 2004 despite frequently being listed as “annual”.

“The Barwon Heads community deserves closure, and this can only be achieved through the active engagement of the Victorian Department of Health.”