John Murphy (Lowe, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Last Friday I had the privilege of attending the launch of the Bernie Banton Foundation at Concord hospital. I extend my sincere thanks to the Prime Minister, who launched the foundation. Bernie’s widow, Karen Banton, said in her speech that it is wonderful to see our nation’s leader so committed and dedicated to promoting research into asbestos related diseases. The Bernie Banton Foundation was established by Karen Banton and Bernie’s brother, the Reverend Bruce Banton, to provide support for asbestos sufferers, provide education services and promote and fund research into asbestos related diseases. The foundation aims to raise $400,000 this year through fundraising events to fund research. This funding will also contribute to the establishment of Bernie’s Angels, a group of committed volunteers and individuals who provide in-home care for asbestos disease sufferers and their families. I am pleased to note that the Prime Minister announced that the federal government will contribute to the foundation.

Bernie Banton is an inspiration to each and every one of us. He battled tirelessly and selflessly to raise awareness of asbestos related diseases and to put right a shameful chapter in Australia’s corporate history. Next year 750 Australians will be diagnosed with asbestos related diseases, and by 2020 it is estimated that Australia will have 1,300 cases of asbestos cancers. The poisoning of Australians by asbestos is a modern-day industrial catastrophe, and Karen Banton has warned that this could happen again.

At the launch of the foundation, Karen Banton called on Australia to take a leading role in establishing a treaty to prevent the mining and export of asbestos worldwide and to ensure that our schools and universities teach young people business ethics. This is a fight worth fighting. Moreover, I too know from my personal contact with Bernie during his illness that this is what he would have wanted. It is very disturbing that, despite everything that is known about asbestos and its health effects, many countries, including Canada, continue to mine asbestos and export asbestos products. This must stop, and Australia must play a role to ensure that this stops. The international community must come together as one in this endeavour.

The shameful James Hardie saga also raises significant issues about business ethics. At the launch of the Bernie Banton Foundation, both the Prime Minister and Karen Banton made reference to a recently released book by Matt Peacock, Killer Company. I applaud Mr Peacock’s book. Killer Company details the disgraceful and shameful behaviour of James Hardie executives. Every single person studying a business subject, whether a business studies student sitting their higher school certificate or an individual studying for an MBA, must be made aware of the revelations contained in Killer Company. Our future CEOs, executives and managers need to be aware of the dishonest manner in which James Hardie’s management kept files on their employees’ health and thousands of X-rays of their lungs. They need to be aware of the way in which James Hardie executives tried repeatedly to run away from their compensation obligations to asbestos disease sufferers. Most importantly, they need to be aware that what James Hardie did was wrong, disgraceful and immoral. Let us today resolve to do everything to ensure that this great violation of trust by executives never happens again. Let us ensure that the inspirational legacy of Bernie Banton lives on. (Time expired)