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Asbestos fence at child care centre
By Colleen O'Sullivan
Tuesday, 5 October 2004

A white asbestos fence backing onto Tenterfield Childcare Centre must be removed immediately said Councillor Alan Rolph, who is suffering from asbestos scarring due to work he did at James Hardie Industries (JHI) twenty five years ago.

"When the winds come in and pick up the asbestos, it could easily cross the fence. The childcare centre fence will be demolished in the future but they really have to do it now," said Mr Rolph.

Tenterfield Shire Council Director of Environmental Services David Mitchell recommended Tenterfield Shire Council replace the fence with a colorbond style one, which already exists in one section of the fence.

"There is no safety hazard because fortunately the fence is not a very dangerous asbestos and can be easily replaced. People in similar situations have painted such fences which is perfectly okay because it protects the surface," said Mr Mitchell.

The Tenterfield Shire Council is gathering quotes from Tenterfield tradesmen for the fence repairs and Mr Mitchell said the project would be complete within a month.

Councillor Rolph said, "They'll need protective clothing and to keep the fence wet all the time they're taking out the fence. They'll have to make sure no dust particles are distributed.

"Blue asbestos is very potent and they say the childcare fence is only white asbestos - well that's not particularly good to you either, it might give you an extra five years or so."

News of the fence came last week as asbestos victims and politicians around the country criticised the actions of James Hardie Industries (JHI) company executives. The Medical, Research and Compensation Foundation (MCRF) set up by JHI has a one point five billion dollar shortfall in compensation funds.

New South Wales QC, David Jackson released a report on the inquiry into JHI, which began in February this year.

"JHI (the parent company based in the Netherlands) still has in its pockets the profits made by dealing in asbestos and those profits are large enough to satisfy most, perhaps all, of the claims of victims of JHI asbestos," Mr Jackson said.

Opposition Leader, Mark Latham and councils across Australia have called for a JHI boycott. Both political parties have agreed to return campaign donations to JHI.

Prime Minister, John Howard said the full rigour of the law should apply to JHI if found guilty of misconduct.

"I have no sympathy for any company that neglects the long-term health interest of its employees," he said.

Whilst not currently in litigation, Councillor Rolph watches the JHI developments on the news with interest.

"The politicians are only getting a head start by paying back the donation money to James Hardie because they know there will be a boycott. I don't even like listening to people go on about their symptoms now. I think a lot more stuff will come out in relation to other industries," he said.

NSW Premier Bob Carr has criticised JHI for their silence since the report was released last week.

"No minister, federal or state, would survive an indictment like this and there's got to be as much accountability in the public sector," Mr Carr said.

Despite his worsening illness, Councillor Rolph maintains that JHI were upfront about the dangers of asbestos and he believes claims must be genuine before compensation is handed out.

"I didn't have to go there I didn't have to work with it. We were warned it was detrimental to your health but at that age who would have been thinking about 30 years down the track to now," he said.

Councillor Rolph first worked with JHI during a holiday in New Zealand.

"It was a working holiday, and I was 25, you know when you want money quickly and they were offering plenty of overtime," he said.

He attributes a downturn in the economy to his return to JHI in 1968 to 1970 and later in 1982.

The local meatworks had closed and Councillor Rolph said, "I'm not an academic. The only way I could get good money was labouring at places like JHI. But from 1968 to 1970, of the men I worked with then, there's not many of them left now."

He remains optimistic about the prospect of funding to genuine claimants only.

"They (James Hardie) could definitely fund it and I'm all for the genuine cases. I don't think the lack of funds was deliberate on MRCF's behalf," he said.

On the August 19 all councils including Tenterfield Shire Council received a letter from the head of the JHI Medical, research and compensation fund, Hildegard Meredith. It was implied in the letter and in Ms Hildegard's comments to the media that there were funds available to those who were genuine.

Councillor Rolph is cautious of unions wanting boycott JHI despite having worked with them in the past.

"The unions only seem to be in it for their own gain, I've had a lot to do with them in the past but now they've been trimmed up they sound like parrots," he said.

The ACTU has come out about the bans which is a new phenomena Councillor Rolph said, because no one thought of banning all James Hardie products before.

The CFMEU and ACTU have come out in support of victims, however Councillor Rolph says claims that workers were never told about the dangers of asbestos are rubbish.

"I sit back and watch what is going on and I can't help but think there are so many claims coming in with no substance," he said.

ACTU Secretary, Greg Combet said the best outcome would be for victims to secure payments on a regular basis.

"A regular periodic payment to the MRCF from JHI so that they can meet all of its liabilities as they fall due," he said.

Councillor Rolph had asbestosis warning signs back in 2001 and was diagonosed by specialists at Wesley Hospital the same year.

"They wanted me to come back every year for a check up but no way, I already know it's not about to get better. To my knowledge there are four stages to asbestosis I'm in the first or second stage. "

Mr Rolph said if he were get to cancer or any prognosis he would be the kind of person who would try to conquer it with positive thinking alongside medicine.

"I have been active all my life, I don't smoke and have never been around second hand smoke or anything," he said.

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