Page 4115 - Week 12 - Thursday, 1 December 2022
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and worked in a community-focused manner to address the dangerous legacy left by Mr Fluffy loose-fill asbestos insulation.
The Asbestos Response Taskforce commenced on 25 June 2014 and provided a coordinated, compassionate and enduring response to the presence of loose-fill asbestos insulation in Canberra homes. Following extensive discussions with experts, asbestos assessors and home owners, the ACT government determined that the demolition of each affected house was the only enduring solution to the health risk, as well as the social, practical and financial consequences being faced by owners of affected properties.
After receiving a $1 billion loan from the Australian government, the ACT government responded in October 2014 through the buyback and demolition program of the Loose Fill Asbestos Insulation Eradication Scheme. The scheme was a significant and unprecedented undertaking by the ACT government. 1,029 affected properties across 56 suburbs required removal and site remediation to eradicate the risk from loose-fill asbestos insulation.
Over its eight years of operation, the task force administered the scheme and made significant progress to realise the ACT government’s goal of eradicating the ongoing exposure risks from loose-fill asbestos insulation in our community. At the task force’s closure, 97.76 per cent of all known affected properties in the ACT had been removed and appropriately remediated. The loss of each affected home has been an impact that has been felt by both home owners and tenants that once resided within them, as well as by the neighbours that have surrounded them.
Through the task force’s delivery of the scheme, 1,125 relocation assistant grants that supported the transition of people to safer living arrangements have been paid, to the value of $12.7 million. 991 properties—that is, 975 affected and 16 impacted properties—have been purchased, at a total cost of $714.2 million. 1,020 properties—that is, 1,006 affected and 14 impacted—have been demolished, either through the scheme or privately. 1,006 blocks have been remediated and removed from the affected residential premises register. And 969 blocks have been sold through the task force sales program, returning a total value of $653.2 million to the territory.
The task force closed on 30 June 2022. I commend the many ACT public servants who worked on the task force for their efforts and their dedication. I also acknowledge the process of recovery for those impacted by loose-fill asbestos insulation and the consequent actions that needed to be taken to remove this risk from our community that is deeply personal and ongoing.
The ACT government’s response was and still is not simply about bricks and mortar but is one that recognises the impact that this dangerous substance had on the lives of residents, home owners, tradespeople, neighbours and the broader community.
The ACT government continues to work towards addressing the ongoing legacy impacts that are a part of our city’s history through learning the lessons and documenting knowledge, tracking ongoing health impacts, supporting families now and in the future, recording stories and personal experiences, establishing a place of reflection, and supporting education and research.
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