Class actions over such contamination at Defence bases in Queensland and New South Wales; investigations into other bases nation-wide; former aviation technicians affected; similar problems at Victoria's Fiskville fire-fighter training base and a spill of similar foams at Brisbane Airport.

All related to perfluorinated chemicals (PFAS substances) used in fire-fighting foams for years until health concerns began emerging in the early 2000s and products were being pulled from the market.

Some action on these chemicals has been global - PFOS is listed on the Stockholm Convention and the closely related PFOA has been nominated.

There is, however, an exemption under the Stockholm Convention that has allowed the continued use of these substances in fire-fighting foams, given their effectiveness for that purpose.

Stockpiles remain around Australia and the world; but calls grow each day, from urging for outright bans to calls for more concerted, expedited action and stronger strategies for dealing with them if use continues.

Queensland has banned the use of the chemicals in that state, and has called on Canberra to do the same, but has little power over Commonwealth-owned airport land.

Infrastructure Minister Darren Chester has promised to consider "transitional arrangements" for the potential phasing out of the substances. But it is time for the government to do more than consider this issue.

Government statements in recent months spout the line that "while it is known PFAS can persist for a long time, there is no consistent evidence that PFAS exposure is harmful to human health".

Such carefully-worded statements are put out to quell public concern and perhaps avoid certain admissions, given the Commonwealth is facing legal action.

They are little consolation to former Williamtown residents Mark and Karen Grant, who the Newcastle Herald has reported were forced to leave their home after testing their daughter, at birth, and finding she had a PFOS level of 6.2 ng/ml in her blood, above the national average for children up to four years of age.

They are little consolation to Nowra residents, former aviation technician Rick Meehan, who likely lost his brother to exposure to other chemicals, and Colin Stubbs, who has PFAS levels in his blood years after working for Defence.

Of course, these are legacy issues, problems that have emerged decades in some cases after the exposure. Problems that were not foreseen, at least by regulators.

But to those affected, the concerns are real today, and will be tomorrow.

Mr Chester's pledge to consider the transition away from these chemicals must be expedited, if more stringent policy solutions cannot be.

There are "short-chain" substances that do a similar job without the same known health and environmental concerns, although not as effectively as those in use, and experts have said a middle ground may be the best option.

For the moment, the families affected - from Oakey to Newcastle to Nowra and elsewhere - wait for a signal that concerted action is being taken, not simply a shifting of responsibility.

For those already affected it may already be too late. But we owe it to the next generation to prevent continued potential harm where we have a chance to prevent it. As Mr Grant told the Herald: "We don't want compensation, we just want our kids not to be crook."