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National asbestos plan released to public

Today, most Australians have heard of asbestos, and the hazards associated with it. However, despite its total ban as of 2003, many buildings built prior to this date could theoretically contain the deadly fibres.

While the particles undisturbed don’t pose a risk in their current form, with many older buildings undergoing renovations or ?minor cosmetic work, asbestos is still something that we need to respect and understand.

According to asbestos.com, Australia is expected to lose another 25,000 people to asbestos-related Mesothelioma over the next 40 years. As asbestos exposure symptoms only manifest sometime after initial contact, its nickname of the ‘silent killer’ certainly rings true.

As such, it is pleasing to report that Australia has developed and launched its first National Plan on Asbestos Safety and Eradication. While it might seem that this type of action is long overdue, this plan is actually the first of its kind that has been accepted by all state, territory and Commonwealth governments.

What does the plan include?

The ultimate goal is to eliminate asbestos-related diseases across the country. To achieve this, the plan included six main strategies to limit the number of Australians exposed to asbestos. This includes:

  • Improving public health education around asbestos
  • Supporting asbestos health research
  • Preventing all shipments of asbestos from around the world
  • Enhancing asbestos identification education

Minister for Employment, Senator Eric Abetz?, explained that it was positive that all government parties have agreed on the best way forward in relation to asbestos.

“As one of the biggest users of asbestos in the world until the mid-1980s, the legacy of this substance in Australia is tragic, with consequences over the coming decades still to come. We must be coordinated, measured and strategic in the way we contend with asbestos management,” he said.

Mr Abetz continued by stating Australia needs to stand up and become a global leader in the fight against asbestos.

“This plan will result in coordinated effort (sic) across the country to reduce the deadly effects of asbestos on Australians, as well as help put Australia at the forefront of global efforts to deal with the deadly substance,” he said.

Asbestos compensation claims in NSW

Under New South Wales law, you are entitled to claim compensation on many dust-related ailments, including asbestosis and Mesothelioma. The claim can be made irrelevant of the time of exposure, be it yesterday or even 30 years ago.

For more information, get in touch with the compensation lawyers at Gerard Malouf Partners today.

Australia’s state, territory and Commonwealth governments have agreed on the first National Plan on Asbestos Safety and Eradication.

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Meet the diverse and dynamic team of compensation lawyers and supporting staff that have made this all happen below. Our multi-lingual team can discuss your claims in Arabic, Assyrian, Turkish, Greek, Italian, French, Serbian, Croatian, Armenian, Mandarin, Hindi, Punjabi or Malayalam.

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