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.
