Alison Xamon: Ratepayers shouldn’t be lumped with asbestos removal bill

Asbestos is not just a relic of the past.

Although its use was banned in Australia more than 20 years ago, it still exists in countless homes, schools and workplaces, especially those built before the mid-1980s. In fact, any home built before the 1990s is highly likely to contain asbestos.

Each year, more than 4000 Australians die from asbestos-related diseases. These are preventable deaths.

There is no safe level of exposure to asbestos. Once disturbed, asbestos fibres can become airborne and inhaled, leading to deadly illnesses such as mesothelioma and lung cancer. Shockingly, WA has the highest incidence of mesothelioma in the world.

The City of Vincent supports the Asbestos National Strategic Plan, which provides a co-ordinated, phased approach to preventing exposure to asbestos fibres to eliminate asbestos-related diseases. But one year into the plan there is still a concerning lack of information about how it is intended to be implemented.

Specifically, there must be consideration as to how we can realistically and practically achieve the actions in the plan without placing unnecessary burden on the finite resources of local government.

There is currently a lack of detail around what funding, if any, will be made available from the Federal or State governments to implement the plan.

Local governments are tasked with supporting the delivery of risk-based, prioritised removal of asbestos products in publicly-owned and controlled properties. LGAs are also responsible for developing incentives that encourage the safe removal of asbestos containing materials from residential and commercial properties.

I urge the State and Federal governments to suitably fund the implementation to ensure the significant costs don’t end up on ratepayers. These are ratepayers who are already paying their State and Federal taxes and who would be entitled to expect that these costs are not shifted on to their rates.

We must work together across all levels of government to protect our communities from this silent killer. Early and ongoing engagement with local governments is critical to ensure delivery of the plan is realistic and practical. State and Federal governments need to take the concerns of local government seriously.

Our older suburbs are filled with homes and buildings that contain asbestos materials in walls, ceilings, fences and roofs. For renovators and tradespeople, this poses a serious and often hidden risk.

I urge all West Australians to treat asbestos with the caution it deserves. Anyone who is planning to undertake renovations or repairs should assume asbestos is present and seek professional advice. Even materials in good condition can become dangerous if mishandled. Safe removal is not just a precaution, it’s a responsibility.

If you think you may have asbestos in your building you should engage the services of a professional asbestos assessor to provide a report before doing any renovations or works.

We know that asbestos poses a real threat to our communities, but together we can ensure our homes and neighbourhoods are safe for generations to come. And we need to ensure that all three tiers of government are working together, and that the costs are not shifted to local government.

Alison Xamon is the mayor of the City of Vincent