Senator David Pocock grills agriculture watchdog boss over chemical used by farmers in Australia that has been banned across 70 countries

Australia’s agriculture regulator has been grilled over the large-scale use of a herbicide throughout the country that has been banned in more than 70 nations.

Paraquat is used on common crops and has previously been linked to Parkinson’s disease, organ damage, and poisoning deaths.

In a Senate hearing on Monday, Senator David Pocock questioned Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines (APVMA) boss Peter Hansen about why the regulator has been assessing Paraquat since 1997, but had not taken action.

The APVMA said on its website that if it ‘becomes aware of human health risks associated with the use of agvet chemicals in accordance with the label, we have the power to take action quickly to protect human health.’

The watchdog had released a proposed regulatory decision on paraquat in late 2024.

‘Based on the weight of evidence, the APVMA proposes removing a number of current uses at high rates of application that pose an unacceptable risk to the environment. 

‘The APVMA also proposes removing the use of paraquat at higher rates where the short-term risk for poisoning can’t be adequately mitigated.

‘There is no imminent risk to human health or the safety of food. The APVMA will take immediate action if there is an imminent risk.’

Pocock said Australia had still not moved to crack down on the use of the pesticide.

‘My understanding was that APVMA was finally, after 28 years of whatever it was, to make a decision last year,’ the ACT Senator said.

‘That hasn’t happened?’

Mr Hansen said there was a delay due to recent findings from the Environmental Protection Agency in the US, regarding ‘volatility of the chemical in the field’ and that other milestones had been reached over the 28 years.

‘If we didn’t think it was safe, we wouldn’t be looking to make a decision that would allow it to continue to be used,’ Mr Hansen replied.

‘If we thought it wasn’t safe, we would be making a decision that looks to ban it … if it was imminent and urgent we would have taken actions already.’

The chemical is outlawed throughout the UK and Europe, while last week, the US state of Vermont became the latest region to ban the chemical, with other US states likely to follow. 

Paraquat is used to kill weeds and grasses, and is applied to a wide variety of crops including fruits, potatoes, soy, peanuts and pistachios.

Experts have raised concerns over the impact of long-term exposure to paraquat among farmworkers and people living near treated farms. 

There are also some concerns over the effects of repeated exposure to trace residues that may be on store-bought food, although this is considered to be a less significant risk.

Australia’s National Farmers’ Federation, in its submission to APVMA in 2024, said the chemical is used to improve crop yields, retain soil moisture, improve soil health, and reduce erosion.

It said the APVMA had previously found evidence ‘did not support the claim that there is a growing body of evidence indicating a causal link between exposure to paraquat and the development of Parkinson’s disease’.

The APVMA’s latest report on paraquat will be released within six weeks.