It was suspected that asbestos was being removed illegally by workers after hours and on weekends in Cremorne, NSW. The site was visited by representatives of the CFMEU, who suggested that a suspicious material, which may have been asbestos, was littered across the floor.

Despite these fears, council workers who attended the site confirmed that there was no evidence of asbestos, and therefore the public need not be concerned about exposure to asbestos.

Councillor Fristacky publically announced that the only work being done was scrap metal salvaging on the roof of the building. However, Socialist councilor Stephen Jolly expressed his doubts as to this comment, stating that the Council was a little ‘naïve’ in their approach towards the situation.

The major concern with having asbestos lying on the ground is that once asbestos fibres are disturbed and become airbone, they can become detrimental to the human health. If asbestos fibres are inhaled, mesothelioma can result. Small amounts of asbestos can lead to mesothelioma. In Australia mesothelioma is especially prominent amongst construction workers, navy workers and builders.

Serafina Salucci, a sufferer of mesothelioma, has joined Australia’s largest unions in their attempt to encourage State and Federal government to fund and implement recommendations developed by the Asbestos Review Committee.

Mesothelioma is caused by exposure to asbestos fibres and while there is mesothelioma treatment available in Australia, there is no actual cure. Serafina Salucci believes because mesothelioma is incurable, raising public awareness of the dangers associated with asbestos will help stop people suffering like she has.

The Australian Manufacturer Worker’s Union (AMWU) and Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) are calling on the Australia Federal Government to finally get rid of all asbestos that is still present in older homes and government buildings in Australia.

Considering Australia has one of the highest rates of asbestos related diseases in the world, and considering asbestos related deaths in Australia are expected to increase until 2020, it is time for the Australian government to implement a strategy to remove the threat of asbestos. Removing the threat of asbestos will decrease the number of people who contract asbestos related diseases like asbestosis and mesothelioma.

For Australians like Serafina Salucci who suffers from an asbestos related condition, there is legislation in place in some Australian states including NSW and Victoria to help them pursue an asbestos compensation claim.

Orange City Council in New South Wales has spoken out denying they have breached asbestos procedures during the managing of naturally-occurring asbestos at the north Orange bypass. This response has come after a local expressed concerns that the Council was not following their own asbestos guidelines.

From reading the Council’s Asbestos Management Plan the local understood that any rock that is not covered should be dealt with as if it contains naturally-occurring asbestos unless there is evidence of the contrary.

Chris Devitt, Council’s technical services director responded to these asbestos fears confirming that Council has been following all the proper asbestos guidelines. He says that even though a geologist has told Council that the piles of rock on Icely Road were base rock, they are still treating it as if it was asbestos and taking all the necessary precautions like covering the rock and watering it down.

Hopefully Council is taking these precautions as even minimal exposure to asbestos can lead to a person contracting an asbestos related disease such as mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma in New South Wales has left a terrible legacy. NSW victims of asbestos conditions are many.

Renovation work at the Telstra Building in Deakin, Canberra has been put on hold after WorkSafe ACT and the Environment and Sustainable Development Directorate issued stop-work notices to the contractor. These notices were issued for violations in both licensing and building approvals and came after the discovery of asbestos at the site

The site was inspected on Thursday by construction union officials and they communicated a number of concerns about the site to authorities. After the inspection was completed the contractor willingly closed the site.

Canberra’s branch secretary of the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) Dean Hall has confirmed the building’s asbestos register was inaccurate. Therefore the contractor should have followed a specific procedure for performing an asbestos audit and developing an asbestos management plan however they failed to do so.

A Telstra spokesman has suggested they were aware the contractor had discovered asbestos at the site and were confident that the necessary action was taken to ensure the safety of their workers.

The appropriate licence and procedures for removing and managing asbestos are extremely important as even minimal exposure to asbestos can lead to workers contracting an asbestos related disease such as mesothelioma. While there is some mesothelioma treatment available in Australia this disease is often terminal. Cases of mesothelioma in Australia are expected to rise within the next decade.

Unfortunately, mesothelioma claims in Canberra have been made following persons resident in the Australia Capital Territory being diagnosed with mesothelioma and other asbestos related conditions.