Formal International Judicial Proceedings
- agentorangechild
- May 12
- 4 min read
Subject: Formal Notification of Escalation to International Judicial Proceedings Regarding Second-Generation TCDD (Agent Orange) Exposure
12th May 2025
Dear Prime Minister, Premier, and Governor-General, Prince William.
I am writing to formally notify you that I have exhausted all domestic avenues in seeking recognition, support, and justice for the harms I have endured as a result of second-generation exposure to TCDD (dioxin), commonly known as Agent Orange, stemming from my parent’s military service in Vietnam.
Despite providing extensive medical evidence and numerous warnings issued by international bodies, Australia has failed to take action. Since 2011, the United Nations and related treaty bodies have issued at least eight formal warnings or recommendations to the Australian Government regarding the treatment and rights of children of Vietnam veterans exposed to toxic herbicides. These include:
April 2011 – UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
February 2016 – UN Committee on the Rights of the Child
March 2017 – UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
July 2018 – UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
April 2019 – UN Human Rights Committee
October 2020 – UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
2021 – Findings from the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women
2024 – Warning from the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and the Environment
In addition to these UN actions, Australia is a signatory to the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, which mandates the elimination and control of dioxins like TCDD. The failure to implement effective national policies in line with the Convention’s obligations amounts to international legal noncompliance.
The Orica contamination case, in which the company was fined over $100 million for environmental breaches related to persistent toxic substances, demonstrates that the Australian Government is aware of the severity and legal responsibility associated with such chemicals — yet continues to deny accountability for intergenerational harms stemming from military herbicide exposure.
I have now provided Queensland Health and all responsible federal and state agencies with sufficient time to respond. If I do not receive a substantive, rights-based response by 1 July 2025, I will proceed with filing my complaint before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and the International Criminal Court (ICC). I will be naming individual Ministers, Department heads, and government bodies who have failed their legal, ethical, and treaty obligations.
Federal Government
Julia Gillard (Labor)
In office: 24 June 2010 – 27 June 2013
Kevin Rudd (Labor)
In office: 27 June 2013 – 18 September 2013
Tony Abbott (Liberal)
In office: 18 September 2013 – 15 September 2015
Malcolm Turnbull (Liberal)
In office: 15 September 2015 – 24 August 2018
Scott Morrison (Liberal)
In office: 24 August 2018 – 23 May 2022
Anthony Albanese (Labor)
In office: 23 May 2022 – present
1. Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA)
Ministers for Veterans’ Affairs (2011–2025):
Warren Snowdon (2010–2013)
Michael Ronaldson (2013–2015)
Stuart Robert (2015–2016)
Dan Tehan (2016–2017)
Darren Chester (2017–2018)
Michael McCormack (Acting, 2018)
Darren Chester (2018–2021)
Andrew Gee (2021–2022)
Matt Keogh (2022–present)
Department Secretaries:
Ian Campbell (2011–2014)
Simon Lewis (2014–2017)
Elizabeth Cosson (2017–2022)
Alison Frame (2022–present)
Information Available:
Vietnam Veterans Family Study (2014):
A comprehensive study involving 27,000 participants, including veterans, partners, and their children.
Identified elevated rates of specific conditions (e.g., spina bifida manifesta, cleft lip/palate, adrenal gland cancer, acute myeloid leukaemia) among children of Vietnam veterans.
Led to the establishment of the Vietnam Veterans’ Sons and Daughters Support Program.
UN Warnings:
Multiple UN committees (e.g., CRPD, CRC, CESCR, CERD) have issued formal recommendations urging Australia to recognize and support second-generation victims of Agent Orange exposure.
Stockholm Convention Obligations:
As a party to the Stockholm Convention, Australia is obligated to take measures to eliminate or reduce the release of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), including dioxins like TCDD.
2. Department of Health and Aged Care
Ministers for Health (2011–2025):
Nicola Roxon (2007–2011)
Tanya Plibersek (2011–2013)
Peter Dutton (2013–2014)
Sussan Ley (2014–2017)
Greg Hunt (2017–2022)
Mark Butler (2022–present)
Department Secretaries:
Jane Halton (2002–2014)
Martin Bowles (2014–2017)
Glenys Beauchamp (2017–2020)
Brendan Murphy (2020–2022)
Blair Comley (2022–present)
Information Available:
Health studies and data on the long-term effects of dioxin exposure.
Responsibilities under the Stockholm Convention to manage and mitigate the risks associated with POPs.
3. Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW)
Ministers for the Environment (2011–2025):
Tony Burke (2010–2013)
Greg Hunt (2013–2016)
Josh Frydenberg (2016–2018)
Melissa Price (2018–2019)
Sussan Ley (2019–2022)
Tanya Plibersek (2022–present)
Department Secretaries:
David Borthwick (2007–2010)
Robyn Kruk (2010–2011)
Paul Grimes (2011–2013)
Gordon de Brouwer (2013–2016)
Finn Pratt (2017–2020)
David Fredericks (2020–2022)
David Fredericks (2022–present)
Information Available:
Australia’s National Implementation Plan under the Stockholm Convention, outlining actions to reduce and eliminate POPs.
Data on environmental contamination and management strategies for hazardous chemicals.
4. Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT)
Ministers for Foreign Affairs (2011–2025):
Kevin Rudd (2010–2012)
Bob Carr (2012–2013)
Julie Bishop (2013–2018)
Marise Payne (2018–2022)
Penny Wong (2022–present)
Department Secretaries:
Dennis Richardson (2010–2012)
Peter Varghese (2012–2016)
Frances Adamson (2016–2021)
Kathryn Campbell (2021–2022)
Jan Adams (2022–present)
Information Available:
International obligations under the Stockholm Convention and other treaties.
Correspondence and communications from UN bodies regarding Australia’s compliance and responsibilities.
🏛️ Queensland State Government
1. Queensland Health
Ministers for Health (2011–2025):
Geoff Wilson (2009–2012)
Lawrence Springborg (2012–2015)
Cameron Dick (2015–2017)
Steven Miles (2017–2020)
Yvette D’Ath (2020–2023)
Shannon Fentiman (2023–present)
Department Directors-General:
Tony O’Connell (2011–2012)
Tony Cook (2012–2015)
Michael Walsh (2015–2019)
John Wakefield (2019–2021)
Robert Stable (2021–2022)
Shannon Fentiman (2023–present)
Information Available:
State-level health data on conditions associated with dioxin exposure.
Responsibilities under national frameworks for managing hazardous substances.
2. Department of Environment and Science (DES)
Ministers for Environment (2011–2025):
Vicky Darling (2011–2012)
Andrew Powell (2012–2015)
Steven Miles (2015–2017)
Leeanne Enoch (2017–2020)
Meaghan Scanlon (2020–2023)
Leanne Linard (2023–present)
Department Directors-General:
Jon Black (2011–2012)
Andrew Chesterman (2012–2015)
Jim Reeves (2015–2018)
Jamie Merrick (2018–2021)
Rachel Hunter (2021–2022)
Leanne Linard (2023–present)
This is not only a personal matter, but a broader case of systemic discrimination, failure of duty of care, and violations of international law affecting hundreds, if not thousands, of Australians born to Vietnam veterans.
Please refer to website link below or I am happy to provide any additional information upon request.
Warm Agent Orange Burns regards,
Danielle
We will always be a child of a Vietnam Veteran.
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