A 12 May 2012 article by the Geelong Advertiser reports of an “asbestos dumping ground” being found in this Victorian city.

A beach located in Geelong, Victoria is littered with pieces of asbestos, which are broken up and in a poor state.

If the asbestos fibres become airborne, the inhalation of such fibres can be dangerous. Mesothelioma can be caused by small amount of the inhalation of asbestos.

There have been a number of mesothelioma compensation claims in Victoria from a person being exposed to small amounts of asbestos.

On Friday 11 May 2012, the New South Wales Government announced that it would not reform the law to assist persons suffering asbestos conditions, such as mesothelioma, to pursue a claim for claim for compensation.

One of the recommendations was to allow the family of a person who had recently died from an asbestos condition to be able to commence compensation proceedings within 12 months of their death so as to obtain pain and suffering compensation for their asbestos condition.

At present, unless asbestos compensation proceedings are not commenced within a person’s lifetime, pain and suffering compensation will not be paid to that person’s estate.

Claiming compensation for mesothelioma is often difficult simply because persons suffering this condition need to get their compensation proceedings commenced in their lifetime in order to obtain maximum compensation for their asbestos related mesothelioma.

Another recommendation rejected by the NSW Government would have assisted dependants of those who died from asbestos conditions obtain increased compensation. Despite such laws being adopted in other states, including in South Australia and Victoria, they have not been adopted in New South Wales.

It seems strange that NSW will not adopt asbestos compensation laws that have been adopted in South Australia and Victoria.

A company was fined on 7 May 2012 by a West Australian Court for importing asbestos into Australia.

In 2009 and 2010, the company imported machinery that contained white asbestos into Australia from China.

The Court ordered the company to pay penalties in the sum of $64,000.

Numerous studies have held that white asbestos can cause mesothelioma, the asbestos related cancer.

On 1 May 2012, a walk across the desert in Western Australia commenced to bring attention to the need for research into asbestos related mesothelioma.

Large numbers of persons are diagnosed with mesothelioma each year in Western Australia, many having worked at the former asbestos mine in Wittenoom.

It is hoped the walk will encourage funding into research for mesothelioma.