Residents of a Northern Territory town affected by the contamination of groundwater by a nearby air force base could be offered taxpayer-funded blood tests.
Scientific testing underway in Katherine to establish the extent of contamination caused by firefighting foam is due to be finished by the end of the year.
"When that data is available then the health experts will make the assessment on whether ... blood testing is made available," Defence Minister Marise Payne told parliament on Thursday.
Residents in Williamtown in NSW and Oakey in Queensland, which have also been affected by perfluoroalkyl substances contamination from nearby defence bases, have access to a voluntary blood-testing program.
Labor senator Malarndirri McCarthy demanded Senator Payne explain when Katherine residents would get access to the same scheme.
"I think that the expansion of the voluntary blood testing program, the epidemiological study itself, needs to be based on scientific facts and the scientific evidence that is achieved through the testing process," Senator Payne said.
Katherine recently had to impose compulsory restrictions on the town's water supply to reduce the use of bore water and save clean river water.
The United Firefighters Union has called for Airservices Australia to offer full blood tests for aviation firefighters.
"Aviation firefighters, past and present need mandatory blood testing as a matter of urgency," spokesman Henry Lawrence said.
"They want to know if their blood is toxic so they can manage their health."
