State Members

Subject: Urgent Request for Action on Second-Generation Harm from Agent Orange Exposure

CC: The Hon Anthony Albanese MP, Prime Minister

Afternoon

Dear Ms. Kirkland,

I hope this message finds you well. I am reaching out to you regarding a deeply concerning issue that has not only impacted my life but continues to affect many others who were exposed to the devastating consequences of Agent Orange (TCDD) exposure during the Vietnam War. My father served in Vietnam, and I am a second-generation victim of TCDD exposure, with numerous health conditions linked to this toxic chemical.

It has come to my attention that Queensland Health, as well as other relevant agencies, have failed to properly address or recognize the severe medical impacts caused by this exposure. My birth certificate, which lists my father’s occupation as a soldier, alongside his military records, indicate the known risk factors I was exposed to as a child. Additionally, my father was hospitalized in 1970 after being attacked by civilians in Vietnam and undergoing a surgical procedure to insert metal plates into his face—an event which Queensland Health would have been aware of.

Despite the clear medical evidence linking my health conditions to second-generation Agent Orange exposure, my efforts to seek proper medical care and recognition from both Queensland Health and the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) have been met with bureaucracy, delays, and outright refusal to acknowledge the legal and human rights obligations owed to me.

As you are no doubt aware, Australia is bound by international law, including the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, and the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). These laws explicitly require the government to address the health and rights of children exposed to TCDD, and I urge you to intervene and ensure that these obligations are met.

I have dedicated a website to this issue, addressing the laws and rights that have been broken, along with detailed medical records that document the impacts of Agent Orange exposure on my health. I urge you to review this information and take the necessary steps to hold the responsible parties accountable.

Given your position, I request that you urgently take steps to address the systemic failures within Queensland Health and the broader government departments that have neglected to act on the health impacts of second-generation Agent Orange exposure. The lack of accountability and transparency in addressing this issue has caused undue harm to countless individuals, and I am asking for your support in ensuring that this situation is rectified.

Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to hearing from you.

Warm Agent Orange Burns regards,

Danielle Stevens

Ph: 0411838313

We will always be a child of a Vietnam Veteran.

https://agentorangechild.wixsite.com/agent-orange-child