Ernie Bridge, the former Western Australian Labour MP, is suing the state government and companies owned by Gina Rinehart and Angela Bennett two of Australian’s wealthiest women after being diagnosed with asbestos related illnesses.

Mr Bridge has claimed he was exposed to asbestos in the late 1980s when he was in charge of removing government services from the town of Wittenoom in Perth. In the 1950s and 1960s, deadly blue asbestos was heavily mined in Wittenoom.

Hundreds of past Wittenoom miners and locals have unfortunately died from numerous asbestos related conditions including mesothelioma, lung cancer and asbestosis. Mr Bridge filed a writ in the WA Supreme Court last week seeking compensation for contracting mesothelioma, asbestosis, pleural disease and respiratory degeneration.

West Australia and other Australian states such as NSW, Victoria and South Australia, have legislation in place to help those suffering from asbestos related illnesses pursue an asbestos compensation claims in Australia. This includes both mesothelioma compensation claims in Australia and asbestos claims in Australia.

There have been three asbestos discoveries at Sydney’s Barangaroo development site since April last year. The latest discovery took place on 28 February 2013 when twenty-three fragments of the toxic material were found in ten minutes.

The concerns from this discovery have led to a NSW asbestos group calling for a public walkway within in the site to be shut.

While there are still concerns over the safety of this site, The Environment Protection Authority (EPA) has confirmed there is no risk to the public’s health. The EPA have put up air monitors and collected soil samples and have confirmed that after monitoring the site for a long period of time they have never found any asbestos fibres. The EPA has conducted a thorough risk analysis at the Barangaroo site which is definitely necessary when dealing with asbestos in Australia as asbestos related illnesses in Australia are such a major concern, especially the cancer mesothelioma.

Unfortunately, there have been many mesothelioma cases in Australia following exposure to relatively low levels of asbestos exposure.

Despite cyclone alerts being cancelled last week, a monster storm still ripped through Western Australia’s Pilbara region resulting in major flooding and damage to buildings. The effects of the storm were felt heavily in the little town of Pardoo.

Fears have now turned to those residents starting to repair and clean up their damaged properties as these people could be at risk of being exposed to toxic asbestos fibres. This asbestos risk is very real as before the mid 1980s, asbestos was used widely as a building material all throughout this West Australian region. Residents have been warned that if their properties were built before then there is a high chance their properties contain asbestos.

Exposure to asbestos is a major health concern as even minimal exposure can see individuals contract an asbestos related disease such mesothelioma. Mesothelioma in Australia and in particular mesothelioma in West Australia have affected many people in the past, and will continue to affect many people in the future.

Former mining town Wittenoon in Western Australia is finally being shut down by the West Australian government. It was known as a “mesothelioma hotspot” as more than two thousand of its residents have died from mesothelioma or some other asbestos related disease. While mesothelioma compensation is available in Australia, a treatment for the deadly disease is not.
Throughout the 1950s, Wittenoom attracted thousands of mine workers and their families to its asbestos mine.
Although the asbestos mine was closed in 1966, the deadly legacy of this mine is still perpetuating within the society. Over the past couple of months, the rate of residents contacting mesothelioma was steadily increasing.
Today, final steps are being taken by the West Australian Government to shut down the town of Wittenoom altogether. The Department of Regional Development and Lands will then commence the removal of asbestos. Plans have been made to demolish all building constructions and mining equipment, or any other remains that may have been contaminated by asbestos. The government also plans to re-route the main road away from the toxic town.
Asbestos releases fine particles of dust containing asbestos fibres. The inhalation of asbestos fibres can subsequently lead to asbestos related diseases, including mesothelioma, asbestosis and lung cancer.

In Australia mesothelioma compensation (or asbestos compensation, or asbestosis compensation) is available to those who unfortunately do contract mesothelioma. Asbestos compensation in West Australia is unfortunately a regular occurrence due to the devastating effects of Wittenoon exposure and other asbestos exposure in West Australia.