Since 2013, AECOM has been engaged by the Department of Defence, to undertake large-scale environmental investigations into the presence of PFAS and, provide key stakeholder and community engagement services at Army Aviation Centre Oakey. Across the program the communication and stakeholder engagement has involved multiple national and state-based, cross-Government and agency key stakeholder consultations about PFAS environmental investigations outcomes.

As part of the project the communication and engagement team are embedded within the technical investigation team, investigating the extent of PFAS groundwater contamination on and off the Defence base.

Oakey was the first Defence-led PFA Environmental Investigation in Australia. Many of the internal and external communication processes and protocols established as a part of this project, have been adopted and refined by other Defence PFAS investigation site teams e.g. property access and field team communication protocols, stakeholder data entry protocols and reporting.

The team work collaboratively with Defence to manage community enquiries received via the project hotline, email and in-person meetings about the investigation scope and outcomes.