Luke Simpkins (Cowan, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

That is exactly right. I note that there is never any form of safe asbestos in the world. You might refer to something as white or pure and that tends to create the image in a lot of people’s minds that it is somehow better. Others might say that this white asbestos breaks down a bit better, but the harsh reality is that so many people—some 100,000 people around the world per year—die from exposure to blue and brown asbestos and also, most definitely, from exposure to white asbestos. There is no such thing as safe asbestos and it is certainly good that since 2004 Australia has taken many steps forward to deal with asbestos.

Whilst we have members present here who have had personal experiences during the times of the worst excesses of James Hardie I will also make mention of the actions of that company. I would like to say that the behaviour of that company has always been a matter of great disgrace. It would be good if they were fully held to account for their terrible behaviour in Australia’s past—for their mining, their dumping, their obfuscation and their covering-up. That is certainly a matter of great distaste for all in this country who are aware of it.

Much of this motion relates to the exporting of asbestos from Canada. As I have said, Zimbabwe is also an exporter, as is Russia. As has been said by all other speakers, it comes down to when we ban things in the Western world. For example, Canada has banned the use of asbestos in its own country but somehow its industry still needs to go on so they are more than happy to export it to India. I wonder whether India itself could start making a little bit more effort and maybe talk about banning its own importation of asbestos to help protect its own people. Bangladesh is another country that suffers from the effects of asbestos because it still has a very dangerous ship-breaking industry, an activity which I think India is working towards banning. A lot of asbestos has been used in shipbuilding, and people in Bangladesh, particularly in Dhaka, are suffering greatly through the ship-breaking industry and exposure to asbestos.

In the limited time I have left, I certainly endorse the motion. Canada should stop this terrible export industry.

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