Asbestos lays dormant in over 580 government schools and preschools

Today, SA-BEST MLC Connie Bonaros introduced a pivotal bill into parliament calling for the government to develop and execute a strategic plan for the complete eradication of asbestos from South Australian government schools and preschools.

The proposed legislation seeks to amend the Education and Children’s Services Act 2019, mandating the removal of all asbestos from the land, buildings, and facilities of government schools and preschools within a ten-year timeframe. As a measure of transparency and accountability, the Minister for Education will be obligated to provide annual progress reports to parliament.

The bill was prompted by a recent Freedom of Information request directed at the Department for Infrastructure and Transport Asbestos Advisory team, revealing more than 580 school and preschool sites on the Asbestos Register.
It echoes the achievements of a Queensland initiative, where the Statewide Strategic Plan for the Safe Management of Asbestos in Queensland has been developed and advanced.

Today’s announcement coincides with the 2024 Asbestos Conference – Sustaining Innovation, held in Melbourne this week. South Australian representatives attending the conference will speak about the critical necessity of devising a comprehensive plan for asbestos removal in educational settings.

While the South Australian Labor government has demonstrated a strong position on dust diseases, SA-BEST wants to ensure that this commitment extends to heeding the advice of experts to prioritise asbestos removal.

Quotes attributable to the Honourable Connie Bonaros:

“We know it is there. We know the government is committed to addressing asbestos-related issues. It is imperative to establish a clear and actionable plan to tackle asbestos legacy issues in schools.

“We must move beyond merely managing or mitigating risks. Safe enough is not good enough. The deadly consequences of asbestos exposure are well-documented - it’s simply not worth the risk.

“National and international consensus affirms that there are no safe levels of asbestos exposure. We cannot afford to overlook the potential hazards by what may seem like manageable risks.

Quote attributable to Asbestos Diseases Society of South Australia (ADSSA) President Peter Photakis:

“At the international Asbestos Conference, I spoke about the importance of removing asbestos in our schools for the health and safety of the school communities. A pro-active approach to asbestos awareness is also pertinent in helping the school communities understand the necessity in removing all asbestos in our schools.”

For comment, contact Asbestos Victims Association (SA) Inc Vice President Lesley Shears on 0455 120 588.

For more information, please contact Jody Fitzgerald on 0408 881 548.