Pocock faces off with pesticides boss over Australia’s use of weedkiller linked to Parkinson’s and banned in 70 countries
News Source
•Sat, 31 Oct 2026 05:35:50 GMT
📰 What Happened
A Senate inquiry is looking at why Australia still allows a weedkiller called paraquat. Independent senator David Pocock set up the inquiry. He questioned the head of the pesticides regulator about the decision.
The regulator, the APVMA, ruled in June that paraquat can stay in use with new limits on how it is applied. Paraquat is banned in more than 70 countries because it is very toxic. It has long been linked to Parkinson's disease. Farmers and health groups say the science was ignored.
🔍 The Backstory
Paraquat has been used to kill weeds since the 1960s. It works fast and costs little, so farmers relied on it for decades. In those years, few people wore protective gear.
Queensland farmer Greg Smith, 73, says he and his brothers were soaked in spray as kids. His father died suddenly, one brother died of motor neurone disease and another is having cancer treatment. Smith has had two cancers and was diagnosed with Parkinson's in 2022.
🎯 Why It Matters
This matters to anyone who works on a farm or lives near one. It also tests how much proof is needed before a chemical is banned.
A Senate inquiry is looking at why Australia still allows a weedkiller called paraquat. Independent senator David Pocock set up the inquiry. He questioned the head of the pesticides regulator about the decision.
The regulator, the APVMA, ruled in June that paraquat can stay in use with new limits on how it is applied. Paraquat is banned in more than 70 countries because it is very toxic. It has long been linked to Parkinson's disease. Farmers and health groups say the science was ignored.
Paraquat has been used to kill weeds since the 1960s. It works fast and costs little, so farmers relied on it for decades. In those years, few people wore protective gear.
Queensland farmer Greg Smith, 73, says he and his brothers were soaked in spray as kids. His father died suddenly, one brother died of motor neurone disease and another is having cancer treatment. Smith has had two cancers and was diagnosed with Parkinson's in 2022.
This matters to anyone who works on a farm or lives near one. It also tests how much proof is needed before a chemical is banned.