April 4th, 2005

A group of Aborigines that used to mine asbestos in New South Wales have come forward to fight against being the only ones left out of the compensation deals being reached for those affected by asbestos. Companies such as James Hardie, CSR, and other smaller asbestos firms are likely to be affected by the fight, which could result in a payout of tens of millions of dollars.

The residents of Baryulgil have been mining for nearly 40 years, and many have suffered asbestos related diseases. These people plan to fight every step of the way for compensation, and this has a range of companies feeling nervous as officials try and determine which company or companies are responsible for the payouts.

Three companies are already seeking legal advice regarding the matter. Hardie, CSR, and the Perth-registered miner Mineral Commodities are all seeking legal advice. The battle has also resulted in a delay over the settlement that was reached earlier with regards compensation payouts to affected Australians.

A report being investigated appears to show that the union did little about the workers being left to work in dangerous conditions, with one paragraph reading: "The fact of isolation and the lack of union involvement in the operations might have contributed to a situation where industrial safety and hygiene methods were lax by the standards of more populous and sophisticated mining communities."