In August 2024, Senator Thorpe established and chaired a Senate Select Committee on PFAS, and the committee handed down its final report in November 2025, presenting 47 recommendations.

Recommendation 3 of the final report called on the federal government to pursue legal action against 3M and any other manufacturer of PFAS containing firefighting foams used in Australia, with any settlement used to help fund remediation of contaminated sites.

Thorpe says today’s move is a direct result of the committee's work, and thanks the many witnesses and experts who were involved.

However, Thorpe warns that any funds recovered through the lawsuit must not primarily be treated as a budget cost-recovery exercise, and should be used to contribute to a well-resourced health and environmental response.

Chemical companies including DuPont and 3M had evidence that early types of PFAS—and, later, PFOA and PFOS—were toxic decades ago, yet continued their production nevertheless, at the cost of people’s health and lives.

Quotes attributable to Lidia Thorpe, Gunnai, Gunditjmara and Djab Wurrung independent Victorian Senator:

"This is a huge win for everyone involved in this important inquiry. 

"While today’s announcement is a good step, we need sustained action to tackle PFAS and its impacts. 

"I particularly want to thank the First Peoples of Wreck Bay, who put this critical issue on the national agenda. My heart goes out to you and I hope that today you can finally feel that you are being heard.

"Hearing from the Wreck Bay community about the devastation that PFAS has caused for them prompted me to push for this inquiry, which will ultimately benefit everyone in this country.

"I also want to thank our firefighters, who I have been working closely with, and who have spent years raising awareness about PFAS. I am pleased that another outcome of the inquiry is progress toward expanded presumptive cancer coverage for firefighters."

Funds must be used for health response:

"The government has said some funds recovered from 3M will go toward recouping the $1.3 billion already spent on remediation, with some funding allocated to future environmental and community impacts.

"This must not primarily be a cost recovery exercise to bolster the budget. Any funds recovered from 3M need to be used on the highest areas of need as a priority. 

"We need a strong and well-resourced health response. This must be prioritised, but the government has again downplayed health impacts today.

"Under questioning today, Assistant Minister Khalil said this case is not about health impacts and is only focused on environmental damage and recovering costs previously incurred by the government.

"That is deeply concerning and frustrating for people whose health has been seriously affected by PFAS exposure, and for families who have lost loved ones.

"In cases like the Wreck Bay class action, the government acknowledged cultural loss, but did not properly acknowledge or take responsibility for the serious health impacts caused by PFAS contamination.

"The government must finally come clean about the health risks posed by these toxic chemicals, update its public health advice, and provide proper health supports for affected communities.

"We need strong action on the many health impacts affected communities and firefighters are facing as a result of PFAS exposure.

"One of the key recommendations from the inquiry was for the government to urgently provide subsidised PFAS blood testing, enhanced cancer and health screening, and targeted mental health support for people with the highest levels of exposure.

"Today's announcement is a significant step, but we cannot stop here. 

"PFAS chemicals continue to harm our health and environment, and we need to stop this at the source by banning PFAS-containing products except where genuinely essential.

"The Environment Minister can take immediate action by using his discretion to include all PFAS chemicals in Schedule 7 of the Industrial Chemicals Environmental Management Standard register."