The Sydney morning herald recently reported that John McDonald, who was diagnosed with mesothelioma in 2011, believes it was caused by his exposure to asbestos during renovations at his school and he could take action against the state government.

Mr McDonald’s lawyer has suggested that there is evidence that James Hardie’s asbestos building materials were used during the school’s renovations. If Mr McDonald is to go ahead with his mesothelioma compensation claim, it is likely to be against both the state government as the occupier of the school and James Hardie as the manufacture of asbestos building materials.

The life expectancy prediction for somebody suffering mesothelioma is sadly not very long therefore Mr McDonald is doing all he can to collect evidence so he can receive mesothelioma compensation.

Although the use of asbestos is now prohibited, the health risks associated with exposure to asbestos are still a major problem for Australia today. Australian deaths from asbestos related diseases like mesothelioma are not expected to peak until the year 2025. In 2010 mesothelioma claimed the life of 642 people, with this number expected to rise. We can only hope that sufferers such as John McDonald receive mesothelioma compensation to assist in their time of need.

There is a possibility that asbestos could be present in Tasmania’s infrastructure and public buildings. Those undertaking home renovations are advised to think about the harmful risks associated with exposure to asbestos before they go ahead with any DIY projects.

The main concern is for any houses built between 1945 and 1986; many of these houses have asbestos cement sheeting in their roofs. In Tasmania today there are still around 3,000 known asbestos products in homes and infrastructure. Exposure to this asbestos can lead to a person contracting serious diseases such as asbestosis and the cancer mesothelioma.

Due to these health risks associated with asbestos, renovators are strongly encouraged to be cautious and if they have any inkling that asbestos may be present to get it tested and assessed. The removal of asbestos is something that must be undertaken by professionals to ensure minimal exposure to asbestos.

Australian asbestos compensation claims have been made following domestic exposure.

The Australian government has established a new organisation to manage an Australia wide approach to deal with asbestos safely.

The Australian Office of Asbestos Safety will be formed as a response to recommendations contained in the Asbestos Management Review, an Australian inquiry into the use and management of asbestos in Australia, which was released in June this year.

Australian Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations Bill Shorten, who has shown his support on asbestos initiative throughout the year, announced the creation of the Office of Asbestos Safety to remedy the lack of a nationally coordinated approach to the issue of asbestos, as highlighted in the Asbestos Management Review.

This is the first time in Australia that Commonwealth, State and Territory governments will work together on an Australia wide strategic plan to battle asbestos and the dreadful conditions that are associated with it, such as asbestosis and mesothelioma. It is great to see states such as New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and South Australia all working together to try and stop asbestos related conditions like pleural mesothelioma and asbestos related pleural disease.

Australia used to have the highest use of asbestos per capita worldwide, so it is about time that Australian policy is updated to combat the consequent implications, such as increasing cases of asbestos compensation claims, including mesothelioma compensation claims and asbestosis compensation claims.

Australia’s Federal Government has decided to spend $7 million creating new jobs for Barangaroo workers, despite the recent asbestos controversies surrounding the Sydney project.

Over 3,000 new apprenticeships and construction jobs are being introduced to the Sydney site to provide more opportunities for older and indigenous Australians.

However, many are concerned that the introduction of so many new jobs will only increase the number of people at risk of asbestos exposure unless asbestos regulations are tightened. This could then increase the occurrence of asbestos related conditions such as asbestosis and mesothelioma.

Lend Lease’s management of the huge Sydney project has already come under scrutiny several times this year. Asbestos has been discovered by NSW’s CFMEU, which resulted in Australian workers walking off the job to protect themselves from asbestos exposure, and also by NSW’s Environment Protection Authority last week, where chunks of asbestos was found in soil taken from the Sydney site.

Australia’s Skills Minister Chris Evans told the ABC that the monitoring of asbestos at the Sydney site was up to NSW authorities, not the Australian government.

Small amounts of exposure to asbestos can result in conditions such as pleural mesothelioma, being the asbestos cancer that is most well known in Australia thanks to the great campaigning by persons such as Bernie Banton.