Doug Cameron (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Human Services) Share this | Hansard source

First of all I indicate I certainly support the ACT Government Loan Bill 2014 and agree with the comments made by Senator Lundy and Senator Seselja. For many years I have had a particular interest in asbestos eradication. Like the families in Canberra, I have lived with asbestos most of my working life.

My real exposure to asbestos was when I became a maintenance fitter at Liddell Power Station. We had white asbestos at Liddell Power Station. We were told by management that it was not a problem, that it was only blue asbestos that was a problem. That was absolutely wrong. I remember going out to the power station. We were given a hatchet and would chip away the asbestos from around the valves. Then we would get the big pneumatic guns and start what we call 'rattling' the bolts off, and asbestos was everywhere around us. We were in an asbestos cloud. So, like those residents in Canberra, every time I feel chesty, I am very worried about whether it is a longer term problem that has been lying dormant. I can fully understand what both Senator Lundy and Senator Seselja have been saying about the individuals. This is a terrible, terrible thing.

For anyone who is listening: I hope you never have to go through this. If you ever have to watch a friend or a relative die of mesothelioma, it is one of the worst diseases you can ever contract. It is a horrible death. It is a terrible death. A good mate of mine, Brian Fraser, worked with asbestos for a short period of time in the shipyards in Brisbane and some 30 years later ended up with mesothelioma. He was a bit, healthy, strapping Irishman. He was about six foot one, about 18 stone and died just a bag of bones, full of cancer. It is just an awful thing. So, when we hear about the economic impacts of asbestos on people, we should always remember that the health issues are far away more devastating than any economic impact could be. But I am very pleased that we have bipartisan support to deal with the economic impacts.

I do not want to politicise this, but I want to make what I think is a valid and reasonable point. For many years my union, the AMWU, campaigned to try to get some regulation and control over the use of asbestos in this country. We fought for a ban on asbestos for many years, and it was opposed in some parts because some people still thought this was the miracle fibre. This was the fibre that was going to do all these good things. We still had them in brake pads coming into this country only a few years ago There is asbestos everywhere in this country still.

I want to take the opportunity to say: if you are worried about asbestos being anywhere, do not go near it. Take the precautions. It is in my view one of the areas where you can strongly argue that this is not about red tape. This is about people's safety. It is about making sure people can safely go about their lives and their work. We have set up the Asbestos Safety and Eradication Agency, and that agency in my view should be strongly supported. It should have bipartisan support. Until every fibre of asbestos is gone from this country, that agency is needed. It is not red tape; it is an appropriate thing for this government to do.

I do not want to leave this on the basis of an argument that there might be some differences. I fully support what Senator Seselja has said. I fully support what Senator Lundy has said. This is a very, very important issue for the health and safety of all Australians. If you are worried about asbestos, do not touch anything. Do not try to remove asbestos on your own, because no-one deserves to die with mesothelioma. As someone said to me, it is like pouring cement into your lungs. You die with your lungs being crushed.

I will leave my comments at that and strongly support the bill. I thank the government for their indulgence on this issue.