If we democratically manage what we produce, we can all share in the benefits. Publicly owned mining could drive a renewables boom and position Australia as a manufacturer of green tech. First Nations communities could be in the drivers seat, rather than hastily consulted at the last minute. Generations to come would have money in the bank to help them build a thriving, sustainable society.

The effects of these chemicals are widely unknown, with only certain chemicals having been studied. They are used in all sorts of products, including children's toys. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said children might be more sensitive to the harmful effects of chemicals like PFAS as they were still developing. In the EU, in addition to the PFAS class ban, authorities are also in the process of adopting new safety regulations that include bans on PFAS and other harmful chemicals, specifically in toys.  Australia needs to join the rest of the world in taking a precautionary approach, rather than responding to confirmed toxicity once a single chemical is studied. We should be banning this entire class of chemicals until it can be proven that some (if any) are safe for use in consumer products.