Asbestos has been found in a large portion of homes in Australia’s indigenous communities in the country’s remote Northern Territory.
According to an article in the Herald Sun, the first signs of asbestos troubles were discovered last August when tradespeople working on houses in one of the remote communities discovered the dangerous mineral. The tradesmen were there on behalf of the federal government’s intervention program for indigenous peoples of Australia. Their find prompted the ongoing inspection of all 73 communities affected by the intervention.
To date, says the article, the presence of asbestos has been revealed in 45 of the 50 communities surveyed thus far. It is expected that inspection of the other 23 communities will be completed by the end of July.
Indigenous Affairs Minister Jenny Macklin noted that none of the material found so far poses an immediate health risk. However, she stressed, the government would do everything possible to insure that the people living in those towns would not be adversely affected.
“I understand that communities will be very concerned about these developments, and I am taking immediate action to ensure that communities are not exposed to asbestos health risks,” Macklin said.
All asbestos-contaminated material identified as a potential high risk would be removed within 12 months, she added.
“The health and safety of community members and commonwealth staff is my top priority,” Macklin stressed. “This is a very difficult time for community members and NTER (Northern Territory Emergency Response) staff, and I want to assure them that we will be taking every possible measure to protect their health and safety.”
