Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:C2004Q01000:body:0:p1
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:C2004Q01000
Segment Type: other
Provision Reference: 
Character Range: 6–3022

COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA

      ELIZABETH THE SECOND, by the Grace of God Queen of Australia and Her other Realms and Territories, Head of the Commonwealth:

      TO

      THE HONOURABLE PHILLIP GEORGE EVATT DSC, LL.B.

      GREETING:

       WE DO by these Our Letters Patent issued in Our name by Our Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia on the advice of the Federal Executive Council and in pursuance of the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Australia, the Royal Commissions Act 1902 and other enabling powers, appoint you to be a Commissioner to inquire, for the purposes of the exercise and performance of the powers and functions of the Parliament and Government of the Commonwealth, into the following matters, namely -

          (a) the use of chemical agents in the course of hostilities in Vietnam during the period commencing on 31 July 1962 and ending at the expiration of 11 January 1973, insofar as they may have affected Australian personnel;

          (b) the effects on Australian personnel of exposure to the chemical agents used; and

          (c) the operation and administration of the Repatriation Act 1920, the Repatriation (Special Overseas Service) Act 1962 and any other relevant Acts, as applicable to claims by Australian personnel of chemical-caused disabilities:

       AND, without restricting the scope of your inquiry, We direct you to inquire particularly into the following matters, namely -

          (d) the conditions in which Australian personnel served in Vietnam;

          (e) the nature, scale, purpose and manner of use of chemical agents;

          (f) the periods during which chemical agents were used, the locations of use, their subsequent spread and the location from time to time of Australian personnel;

          (g) the extent to which adequate safety precautions were taken and the extent to which adequate action was taken when any possible harmful effect of chemical agents became known;

          (h) the toxic properties, resulting from use separately or in combination, in relation to humans of each of the chemical agents used, with particular emphasis on, but not limited to, any direct or indirect carcinogenic, mutagenic, teratogenic or neurotoxic properties and the extent and duration of exposure necessary to affect humans;

          (i) evidence relating to the effects of any exposure to chemical agents on the mental and physical health and well-being of Australian personnel and any effects on the mental and physical health and well-being of their spouses;

          (j) evidence relating to the extent to which exposure to the chemical agents used has resulted in congenital anomalies among the children of Australian personnel;

          (k) notwithstanding any limitations contained in paragraph (a), the nature and extent of the safety precautions taken, during the disposal at any time by or on behalf of Australia of surplus chemical agents that were in Vietnam during the period commencing