Asbestos Report Australia Phillip Hazelton –Mekong Regional Representative Union Aid Abroad – APHEDA Margot Hoyte OHS ACTU

Union Aid Abroad-APHEDA  The Humanitarian Aid Agency of the Australian Council of Trade Unions  Founded in 1984  15 countries  Focus on health, education, skills development, labour rights

ACTU  Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU)  National peak body of trade unions in Australia, industry based trade unions affiliate to one national centre  Approx. 2 million members

Australia- Asbestos Legacy  Australia was one of the world’s highest per capita miners, manufacturers and users of asbestos  Pre 1990 Almost all public buildings and at least one third of all private houses were contaminated by asbestos  Mining included blue and white asbestos from 1940s to 1980s  Banned after long campaign in 2003

The Human Cost  Asbestos disease in Australia is not expected to peak until  Established Mesothelioma Register funded by government (voluntary)  Currently over 600 new cases of mesothelioma annually being reported  The National Health & Medical Research Council estimates By 2020, Australia will have had –13,000 cases of mesothelioma –40,000 cases of asbestos related cancer

The Human Cost  4 waves of victims –Asbestos miners –Manufacturers –Families of the above –Home renovators (now increasing and more women being diagnosed)

The economic cost  Costs of compensation for just one company, James Hardie Limited up to $4 billion  Severe pressure on public health systems requiring new and expensive specialist health centres  Now push to eliminate asbestos from all public buildings by 2030

Recent Government Review on Asbestos Management  Completed 2012 with 12 recommendations  Supports removal of all asbestos in built environment  Asbestos Management Plan released July this year  Established Asbestos Safety and Eradication Agency

Asbestos Eradication Agency  Council includes victim groups and unions  Aim is to eradicate exposure  6 strategies including Awareness, best practice handling, identification, removal, research and international leadership in a global ban campaign

Australian Trade Union Asbestos Update –Support through APHEDA to Asbestos Hazard Awareness Campaign in Vietnam and Laos –Partnering govt and trade union –educate, advocate, substitutes, research, Promote National profiles, National Elimination plans –Work closely with BWI, WHO, ILO, A Ban

Australia Union Asbestos update  Working with LFTU and Ministry of Industry in Laos  Laos will develop first Asbestos Profile by June 2014

Networking Internationally ACTU  Hosted Asia Asbestos Awareness Tour Nov 12 (Anup/Inpeng/Larry)  Hosted Sugio on Australian tour Oct 2013  National Asbestos Awareness Week last week of November each year

Current Workplace Regulations  Many different state jurisdictions  All have very strict regulations for removal and identification  Conservative govt in Qld weakening some  Residential homes not covered

Import and consumption  Officially banned but vigilance does still pick up some breaches via customs or unions  2012 – 25,000 Great Wall cars from China with asbestos break pads discovered  Of 7 million homes in Australia 2 million contain some asbestos -built before 1990

Future Campaign Ideas  ACTU/APHEDA seek regional program support for ban asbestos from new Eradication Agency  In Vietnam and Laos promote media and awareness of general public to push for ban - try to alert local NGO  Promote Asia regional response with WHO targeting national governments