Australia has proven its position as the leading country in the global push to ban asbestos.
Earlier this month, Tasmanian Senator and Lisa Singh and co-convenor of the Parliamentary Group on Asbestos Related Disease attended a conference held by the National Association for Defending Victims of Asbestos (ANDEVA).
The conference was held in Paris, France, and included a rally for the International Day for Victims of Asbestos on the 12th and 13th of October.
According to the Australian CFMEU, the conference and rally was attended by over 5,000 people, including workers, unions, victims, politicians, medical professionals and anti-asbestos advocates from more than 20 countries from six continents, including Australia.
Australia confirmed its position as a leader on anti-asbestos policy, especially after introducing the Australian Government’s introduction of the Asbestos Management Review, which was introduced to address the fact that Australia currently has one of the highest incidences of mesothelioma, an asbestos related cancer, worldwide.
This is the case despite the official ban of asbestos use Australia-wide in 2004, because Australia was the highest user of asbestos per capita between around 1950 and 1980.
As such, many Australian states including NSW, Victoria and South Australia have introduced legislation to assist those suffering asbestos conditions pursue an asbestos compensation claim, such as a mesothelioma compensation claims in Australia.
