The ACT Government is contemplating suing the Federal Government over the high costs of cleaning up asbestos in Canberra.
Australian Capital Territory Chief Minister Katy Gallagher has been unsuccessful in trying to get the Commonwealth to contribute to the clean-up costs from when they dumped huge amounts of asbestos contaminated soil in Canberra before ACT self-government.
North Weston Ponds site has been the major problem area, which has seen the ACT spend about $30 million in cleaning up and redesigning.
There are other asbestos contaminated areas within Canberra, including Eastlake where huge amounts of contaminated waste has been found which is likely to cost up to $100 million to clean up.
The problem is that the Federal Government is not taking responsibility and the ACT government has a strong belief that Canberra’s taxpayers should not foot the bill for these clean up costs. In order to solve this problem ACT is willing to take legal action.
Some Canberra residents in the past have been diagnosed with asbestos conditions such as mesothelioma caused by relatively low levels of asbestos exposure. Asbestos compensation claims have been made by some of those living in the ACT suffering asbestos conditions.
