❓ A WA parliamentary question addresses the process for lodging and investigating health complaints related to the chlorination of Busselton's water supply, and the evidence required to establish causation.
AnsweredQoN 160Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
(1) What is the process for people experiencing health impacts from the chlorination of Busselton Water to lodge a complaint with the Department of Health? (2) How will the complaint be investigated by the Department of Health? (3) What nature and standard of evidence is required for the Department of Health to be satisfied that chlorination is the cause of the health impact?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
10 September 2013
Responded by
Parliamentary Secretary representing the Minister for Health
Response time
77 days
(1) It is suggested to people who may be concerned about possible health impacts from chlorination of the Busselton water supply that they see their general practitioner in the first instance. General Practitioners in the Busselton area have been asked to refer to the Department of Health (DOH) the medical details of patients who are willing to have their cases investigated by the Department, where the practitioner believes on medical grounds that it would be reasonable to consider chlorination of the Busselton water supply as a factor in causing the clinical effects seen.
(2) A senior Departmental medical officer will investigate cases referred to the Department under (1), where it is believed that chlorination of the Busselton water supply should be considered as a possible factor in causing the clinical effects of concern.
(3) The DOH will consider all relevant clinical, laboratory and epidemiological evidence from investigated cases bearing upon the hypothesis that chlorination of the Busselton water supply was a factor in causing a specific clinical effect or effects. It is not considered appropriate to restrict this process by attempting to specify in advance any particular nature or standard of evidence that would be required.
(2) A senior Departmental medical officer will investigate cases referred to the Department under (1), where it is believed that chlorination of the Busselton water supply should be considered as a possible factor in causing the clinical effects of concern.
(3) The DOH will consider all relevant clinical, laboratory and epidemiological evidence from investigated cases bearing upon the hypothesis that chlorination of the Busselton water supply was a factor in causing a specific clinical effect or effects. It is not considered appropriate to restrict this process by attempting to specify in advance any particular nature or standard of evidence that would be required.
Explore WA Government Data
Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.
Explore more
Government Gazette
Appointments, regulatory notices, planning changes.
Hansard
Debates, questions, speeches and sentiment.
Tabled Papers
Reports and documents tabled in Parliament.
Committees
Committee profiles and recent reports.
Regulations
Subsidiary legislation with filters and summaries.
Bills
Proposed laws and parliamentary progress.
Acts
Current WA legislation and summaries.
Explanatory Memoranda
Bills with EMs (text/PDF) available.
Members
MP profiles, party breakdown and rankings.
Pollie Rankings
Data-driven rankings across 19 categories.
Amendment Chains
Track how schemes and regulations evolve over time.