Australia Day Award 2014

Transcription

1 ABN INC. A U I N S I D E T H I S I S S U E: Page 2 1. Photos from OAM afternoon tea Pages Vicki s OAM afternoon tea speech 2. Congratulations from Johan Scheffer MP Page 5 1. International Workers Memorial Day - May 2nd 2. Federation Uni 2nd Year Nursing Page 6 1. Labour Day Dinner 2014 photos 2. Gary Blackwood MP Pages Asbestos Snippets 2. Are You Nursing a Loved One? Page Special People and Organisations 2. Congratulations to Our New Committee 2014/15 Page GARDS Membership Form 2. Meetings Dates for Committee of Management 4. Details and Events Page ACV/GARDS Info Page 2. Sponsors and Supporters DID YOU KNOW? You can make an online donation to our group at our home page Make a Donation Using the secure engineof GiveNow.com.au ASBESTOS NEWS ASBESTOS COUNCIL OF VICTORIA (ACV) AND GIPPSLAND ASBESTOS RELATED DISEASES SUPPORT INC (GARDS) GARDS is endorsed as a charity. Donations of $2.00 & over are tax deductible. Thank you to everyone who has supported ACV/GARDS over the years, those of you who had faith in what we are trying to achieve in the community - by supporting and advocating for asbestos sufferers and their families. Photo courtesy of: Vicki Jones Photography The award that I received for service to the community through support for people with asbestos related APRIL 2014 VOLUME 12 ISSUE 1 Australia Day Award 2014 Order of Australia Medal for Vicki disease would not have been possible if it were not for all those who have helped ACV/GARDS become the organisation it is today. I am very humbled and proud to have received this award but it is really on behalf of all our asbestos sufferers and their families - they are the real heroes and deserve all the recognition, it is their quiet dignity and stoic resolve that has inspired myself and others in ACV/GARDS to carry on the fight to make life a little easier for those suffering and those yet to come. You are all my heroes - Thanks so much. You can find our link on the home page of the GARDS website or at facebook.com/gardsinc Major Sponsors of ACV/GARDS

2 PHOTOS FROM OAM AFTERNOON TEA FRIDAY 21ST MARCH, 2014 P a g e 2 ASBESTOS COUNCIL OF VICTORIA (ACV) AND GIPPSLAND ASBESTOS RELATED DISEASES SUPPORT INC (GARDS)

3 Vicki s OAM afternoon tea speech Thank you for coming today. I wish to acknowledge the traditional owners of this land the Gunai Kurnai people and pay my respects to their elders past and present. I warmly welcome you all here this afternoon to our place we call home, Newborough, and for those of you outside the area I welcome you to Gippsland & Latrobe Valley - I want to give a special welcome to our members of parliament, Johan Scheffer MP Upper House Member for Eastern Victoria & Russell Northe MP Member for Morwell, Special mention to: Paul Buckley Chief Executive Officer of Bass Coast Shire Council, Matthew Peake - Executive Officer - Gippsland Regional Waste Management Group, Luke van der Meulen CFMEU, Mining Division President, Councillor Kellie O Callaghan from Latrobe City and Chair of the Latrobe Regional Hospital board, Dieter Melzer - General Manager Gippsland EPA, Antony McMullen - Director of Creative Ministries Network, Kate Harding - Cancer Support Group Coordinator - Cancer Council Victoria, Prof Margaret Simmons from Monash University, Val Prokopiv - President of the Gippsland Trades & Labour Council Gino Andrieri - Principal - Maurice Blackburn - Traralgon I want to acknowledge those who have travelled some distance to be with us this afternoon, it is wonderful that you have come from NSW and Melb/Geelong area to be with us. Mick Chopping, Lyall Watts, Doug and Les Hamilton, Sally Weir and Victoria Keays from Maurice Blackburn, Peter Clark, Bob and Val Cornelis, Paul Addison, Antony McMullen. Over the past 2 months we have been totally surprised/overwhelmed with congratulations and good wishes from our supporters from all over Australia and it gives me the greatest pleasure this afternoon, on behalf of my Committee of Management, to personally thank you and thank everyone who has helped ACV/GARDS to become the organisation that it is today. As most of you know we have an office, which operates 5 days a week, a 24/7 support and info phone line to the community, meeting rooms, the largest bank of medical equipment in Australia, in fact, probably the only one dedicated to asbestos sufferers, which includes such items as oxygen concentrators, conserving devices, wheel chairs, shower & toilet chairs etc. We have since 2011 become the proud owners of a multipurpose van that takes our medical equipment to our sufferers that we support and transports our committee and ACV/ GARDS members, we own 3 marquees which we use for our events each year. Infrastructure such as our library of books for tutorials and videos is in constant use throughout the year with our tutorials to 1st year medical students, nursing students,tafe students and multiple organisations that call on us to educate and inform. All of these things allow us to provide support to asbestos sufferers and educate the community in so many ways. None of this would have been possible without the help of you and many more who could not be here today. For those of you who do not know where my passion comes from - Many years ago in the eighties my father, Alan, was diagnosed with asbestosis - my mother and I really didn t know at the time what that was going to mean for our family and the impact it would have on all of us. Dad was retired from the SECV on disability at the age of 54 - a year less than myself now and spent the next 13 years of his life struggling to do the activities that others of his age managed with no effort. My mother and myself watched as Dad s health declined over those years - not able to mow his own lawns, take his boat out fishing or go caravanning around the country side, or trotting off to have BBQ s or building and making things, all activities that he loved and enjoyed, he was a vital man and very physical. This was soul destroying for him and also for us to watch him and not be able to do much about it other than to be there and care for him. In the last 5 months of my father s life he was diagnosed with asbestos related lung cancer - he was 67 years old. It was then that I started to seek help and support from somewhere - to get information on how best we could look after my father, not only his physical needs but his very being. Everywhere I went there was no support and understanding of what was happening to my father or our family. It was a most distressing time for us and one that I will never forget - because it was a blank void with no friendly face to guide us - just endless medical jargon, tests and treatments - I tried to seek help from where ever I thought we could get it but there was just nothing in this space. We muddled through as best we could with family and friends but I have got to say we felt so alone. No one told me about GARDS until quite a few months after my father had passed away. We went along to GARDS because I was concerned about water pipes that were breaking in our street and these pipes were asbestos cement - I was concerned the drinking water was being contaminated with asbestos fibres when the repairs were going on and I wanted to get the water tested. I went to our litigation lawyer who had handled Dad s case and asked if there was any where I might get help and he suggested a group that might be able to help out with this. Thus become my involvement with GARDS as it was known then. When I went along to GARDS I saw many other good families who were in the same position as us - some had been newly diagnosed and some families had already suffered loss through this terrible thing called asbestos. My mind was horrified to think that there were others who had gone through this like us and nothing was being done in this space. When I truly learnt the nature of just how bad the situation was and how many families just in our area had been touched I made a promise to my mother and my father s memory that I would not let anyone else suffer what we had gone through - having that feeling of being alone and no one caring what happened to these people. Over the time I have spent with ACV/GARDS there have been many wonderful people that I have met who have helped the organisation and myself, they have inspired me to continue to advocate and support asbestos sufferers and their families wherever they are and without their support and encouragement we just could not have helped the hundreds if not thousands of people we have touched over the time. Without the encouragement of countless numbers of you this group here in Gippsland could not have had the impact it had - by being a part of making change several times to legislation in Victoria for asbestos sufferers rights over the past decade or more, the James Hardie campaign to keep James Hardie paying its liabilities, Continued on next page... ASBESTOS COUNCIL OF VICTORIA (ACV) AND GIPPSLAND ASBESTOS RELATED DISEASES SUPPORT INC (GARDS) P a g e 3

4 drove the campaign to secure the Cancer Care Centre at Latrobe Regional Hospital, to receive an apology from the then Premier of the Victorian State Parliament, John Brumby. and many other issues over the past 14 years too numerous to mention. Around 2004/5 we worked on an asbestos kit for home renovators to do a small renovation job at home of less than 10 square metres - this was conceived and launched by not just ACV/GARDS but Gippsland Trades & Labour Council, Latrobe City, WorkSafe Vic, EPA, DoH, G & J Crosby contractors and many more who had a not hand in it. I am proud to say this kit has now been taken up by the 3 government depts WorkSafe Vic, EPA and DoH and is about to be trialled in at this moment 10 councils across Victoria with the hopes that it will go interstate. The facility to take domestic asbestos is still yet to be funded for trial - this unit was a concept from GTLC and ACV/GARDS with the help of Event Studios who donated over a million dollars in schematic drawings - we would like to see this concept take root and become an accepted way to hold domestic asbestos wherever it was being collected until it can be transported safely from the holding site to the closest tip that takes asbestos. We will still be pushing for this to happen. Another project that we are passionate about is to obtain a significant memorial here in the Latrobe Valley to recognise the workers lives that have been lost to asbestos and the families that have been devastated by that loss. Thousands have lost their lives here and we believe that the sacrifice made by the workers and their families in order to make this area the power hub of Victoria should be recognised with an appropriate memorial. I am very proud to think that a group in country Victoria has been able to make a difference nationally by having a voice in many issues around the eradication of asbestos, the setting up of the Safety Eradication Agency and laws that change the face of asbestos and what is not acceptable anymore and in research projects to try and find a cure or better quality of life for sufferers. We have even had a seat at the table in overseeing The Asbestos innovation Fund from Comcare of some 1.5 million in funds towards innovative ideas and research and many more things that we have fought for to make the lives of our sufferers and their families and the community a little bit better. Internationally with friends in places like England - a distant campaign we helped with in its infancy was the Save Spodden Valley campaign - the town of Rochdale where 650 homes and a children s nursery were going to be built on the ex-site of the world s largest asbestos textile factory - Asbestos was processed on the former Turner Brothers (T&N) site for over 100 years. With 300 tonnes of asbestos dust a year being dumped on that site. We are proud to say we helped in our distant small way to stop this project going forward on this heavily contaminated land. The Save Spodden Valley group still are very active around that site making sure no one builds on it. In Glasgow where we have friends - we helped in our small way by making individual private donations from our committee and members to the Clydebank Asbestos Group to get their memorial dream started to mark the lives lost of those who had succumbed to asbestos disease in the building of ships in the shipyards at Glasgow. By a cruel twist of fate when some of these workers immigrated to Australia in the 50s, 60s & 70s they have now become members of ACV/GARDS seeking help and support. None of this would be possible without the support we received from all of you, and I am very humbled and overwhelmed to think that I was considered worthy of an It is a great pleasure to commend Vicki Hamilton, CEO of the Asbestos Council of Victoria and Gippsland It is a great Asbestos pleasure Related to commend DiseaseVicki Support Hamilton, Inc on her CEOMedal of theof Asbestos the Order Council of Australia. of Victoria and Gippsland Asbestos Related Disease Support Inc Ms on Hamilton s her Medal OAM of the has Order been of awarded Australia. for her leadership of ACV/GARDS and for Ms Hamilton s OAM has been awarded her unflagging advocacy of the need for for her leadership of ACV/GARDS and for governments, employers, unions and our medical her unflagging advocacy of the need for and legal systems, to do everything possible to governments, employers, unions and our medical prevent the spread of asbestos-related diseases. and legal systems, to do everything possible to prevent the spread of asbestos-related diseases. For more than two decades Ms Hamilton and ACV/GARDS have provided support for For more than two decades Ms Hamilton countless people suffering from an asbestos- and ACV/GARDS have provided support for countless people suffering from an asbestos- related disease, their families and carers, both in Gippsland and across Victoria. related disease, their families and carers, both in Distinguished Gippsland and awards across such Victoria. as those announced as part of the Australia Day honours are of course Distinguished conferred awards on individuals, such as those but I announced guess in as part of the Australia Day honours are of almost every case the award recipient is closely course conferred on individuals, but I guess in connected to an organisation or collective that almost every case the award recipient is closely has worked to achieve success. connected to an organisation or collective that has worked to achieve success. Ms Hamilton would be the first to acknowledge that her award is in many respects an award for Ms Hamilton would be the first to acknowledge everyone who has put their shoulder to the wheel that her award is in many respects an award for to support ACV/GARDS and its objectives, and everyone who has put their shoulder to the wheel those affected by asbestos-related diseases. to support ACV/GARDS and its objectives, and those affected by asbestos-related diseases. Order of Australia award, because without all of you and my wonderful family, who I love and adore - this would not have happened - the award is just as much yours as it is mine and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for all those sufferers and their families you have helped by helping me and ACV/GARDS. Our sponsors at this present time who we are ever grateful to for having faith in us are: Sponsors WorkSafe Victoria Turner Freeman Law Firm Slater & Gordon Law Firm Maurice Blackburn Law Firm G & J Crosby Contractors P/L Latrobe Valley Funeral Services Massaro Motors Valley Signs Latrobe City Mairin OHS&E Yokogawa Energy Australia - Yallourn - Centre Link Staff Traralgon Margaret Cook Congratulations to Vicki Hamilton OAM Congratulations to Vicki Hamilton OAM Gippsland Trades & Labour Council Home Taste Chinese Restaurant Workers from the Power Stations & Mines of Loy Yang & Hazelwood We must acknowlege that while much has been achieved, the incidence of these diseases will not Wepeak must for acknowlege decades that to come. whileawareness much has been will reduce achieved, exposure the incidence to asbestos, of these particularly diseases will in the area not peak of home for decades renovation. to come. Awareness will reduce exposure to asbestos, particularly in the area of home renovation. This is a fantastic honour for Ms Hamilton, and I was delighted when the announcement was made. This is a fantastic honour for Ms Hamilton, and I was delighted when the announcement was made. JOHAN SCHEFFER MP Member for Eastern Victoria Region JOHAN SCHEFFER MP PO Member Box 876 for Eastern Victoria P: 5940 Region 5010 PAKENHAM VIC 3810 F: PO Box 876 P: E: PAKENHAM johan.scheffer@parliament.vic.gov.au VIC 3810 F: E: johan.scheffer@parliament.vic.gov.au Authorised by J Scheffer 1/23 James St Pakenham Authorised by J Scheffer 1/23 James St Pakenham P a g e 4 ASBESTOS COUNCIL OF VICTORIA (ACV) AND GIPPSLAND ASBESTOS RELATED DISEASES SUPPORT INC (GARDS)

5 SAVE THE DATE International Workers Memorial Day Friday 2nd May, 2014 at 11am at Centenary Rose Garden, Morwell The International Workers Memorial Day event is held nationally and globally to remember the workers who die, are injured or fall ill as a result of their work. People from all over the world will be remembering and supporting workers in their corner of the world. The Ceremony will be conducted by Minister Russell Jones so that families in Gippsland might find some closure to the loss of a loved one and for those who are suffering in some way from a work related injury - whether that is a physical or psychological effect from their work. Speakers at the event include Paul Fixter - CFA - Paul has been a career Fire-fighter since the age of 18. Paul has worked for 20 years across ACT Fire Rescue and CFA in Victoria. Some of the Major fire campaigns that Paul has been a part of are: 2003 Canberra fires 2009 Black Saturday fires 2013 Sussex Inlet NSW fires 2013 Aberfeldy (Gippsland) fire 2014 Hazelwood Mine fires Howard Williams - Gippsland Trades & Labour Council - Howard is an Executive member of Gippsland Trades and Labour Council, long time member of the AEU, Retired Teacher, Executive member of Volley Ball Victoria, Member of Advance Morwell - lived right next door to the Hazelwood Mine Fire. Danny Boothman - singer/musician will be there singing some ballads - he is a part of the Strzelecki String Busters. Please join us afterwards for a BBQ lunch with the compliments of Gippsland Trades and Labour Council. All are welcome from the community and we hope to see you there supporting workers and their families from across Gippsland. John Parker Honoured At the Labour Day dinner on the 21st of March John Parker, Secretary of the GTLC, has become the inaugural recipient of the Annual John Parker Award for Community Activism. John has been Secretary of the GTLC for over 10 years and his commitment to workers and families has been unwavering. When taking the leadership role with the GTLC he adopted the principle of Community Unionism and has since advocated for social reform on behalf of workers in the Gippsland region. He has campaigned for a sustainable transition for workers in Gippsland, as the region undergoes an economic restructure, despite continuing changes to the political landscape. Community is very important to John, as it is impossible to divorce the worker from the community or the family. Allison, John s wife, was also recognised for the support that she has given both to John and to the GTLC. Only when workers and the community stand together in solidarity can we achieve a society that is fair and just for all. Then, and only then, will we be able to live in peace and harmony with each other and the environment. Federation University Australia, invites Vicki Hamilton from ACV/GARDS as Guest Speaker for 2nd year nursing students: A personal salute. My first recall of GARDS was in 2004 when I joined Monash University at Churchill as a Lecturer/PhD Candidate. Vicki and I came into conversation at an event to promote GARDS; I was impressed by the passion that Vicki brought to the subject material (Asbestos) as it was very relevant in the Latrobe Valley at the time. Therefore, I invited Vicki Hamilton to be Guest Speaker to some Nursing and Midwifery students in the course that year that I lectured into; furthering the awareness of this silent health killer. Like most aspects of life, time passes and changes occur, however Vicki has been Guest Speaker to Nursing and Midwifery student s in the course s that I have coordinated over the years and this year was no exception. Last week (25 March 2014) Vicki was again my Guest Speaker to a cohort of Federation University Australian students here at Churchill to enlighten them about the dangers of Asbestosis. Such comments as the talk was great and I had no idea that Asbestos was so dangerous with additional comments of being aware of home renovations affecting children is something that I will ask as I conduct respiratory assessments on patients in the future. These comments were freely expressed by students and were quite unsolicited. From a personal perspective I was delighted to congratulate Vicki on her Order of Australia Medal on behalf of Federation University Australia, Churchill Campus. Whilst changes in titles and courses may occur to individuals the School of Nursing and Midwifery will continue to value and engage with people who undertake remarkable work that is conducted for the benefit of other who live within the community. Dr Sonia Allen RN, RM, PhD, MACS, Grad.Dip.Hlth.Sc. (Community), BHSM, GCHPE, FACHSM. Lecturer, Researcher School of Nursing & Midwifery Faculty of Health Federation University Room No. 246A Building 2W Gippsland Campus Churchill VIC 3842 Telephone Mobile sonia.allen@federation.edu.au CRICOS Provider Number 00103D ASBESTOS COUNCIL OF VICTORIA (ACV) AND GIPPSLAND ASBESTOS RELATED DISEASES SUPPORT INC (GARDS) P a g e 5

6 Labour Day Dinner 2014 Gippsland Trades and Labour Council held its annual Labour Day Dinner - speakers on the night were : Lily D Ambrosio Shadow Minister for Energy and Resources, Shadow Minister for the Cost of Living, Shadow Minister for the Suburbs, - Johan Scheffer MP Upper House Member for Eastern Victoria - John Parker Secretary Gippsland Trades and Labour Council - a great night had by all. P a g e 6 ASBESTOS COUNCIL OF VICTORIA (ACV) AND GIPPSLAND ASBESTOS RELATED DISEASES SUPPORT INC (GARDS)

7 Asbestos Snippets IN AUSTRALIA BREAKING NEWS: Collapsed roof causes Electrolux to shut down factory - By NICOLE KUTER - Central West Daily - Feb. 4, 2014, 10:32 a.m AN ASBESTOS-RIDDEN roof has collapsed at Orange s Electrolux factory, causing the plant to shut down operations indefinitely. At about 1am on Tuesday the roof of the building which houses an electrical substation collapsed, causing power to be cut to most of the plant. story/ /breaking-news-collapsed-roof-causeselectrolux-to-shut-down-factory/?cs=12 Removal of damaged asbestos from a residential or commercial investment property as a tax deduction - Asbestos Safety and Eradication Agency - Tuesday, 10 December 2013 If you are the owner of a residential or commercial investment property you may be able to claim a deduction for the removal of asbestos from the property. Depending on your circumstances, the removal of damaged asbestos from an investment property may be classified as an environmental protection activity under section of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 (Cth). Further advice on your eligibility to claim a deduction for the removal of asbestos from investment properties can be obtained from the Australian Tax Office on or through a qualified financial advisor. removal-damaged-asbestos-residential-orcommercial-investment-property-tax-deduction Asbestos related illnesses continue to take a toll on the Aboriginal community of Baryulgil - Posted Thu 30 Jan 2014, 8:17am AEDT New cases of asbestos-related illnesses continue to be diagnosed in a remote north coast Aboriginal community decades after a James Hardie mine closed. The mine at Baryulgil north west of Grafton operated from the 1940 s until the late 1970 s, and employed dozens of local Aboriginal workers. Doctors working in the area are diagnosing new cases of asbestos-related illnesses regularly. Grafton-based GP Dr Ray Jones said only a handful are still alive, but the impact of the asbestos mine on the community is still being felt. asbestos-related-illnesses-continue-to-take-a-toll-onthe-abori/ Asbestos carpet underlay By Asbestos Check 03 February Info link - Australia Architecture Building and Design Directory Recent reports indicate that carpet underlays may be contaminated with asbestos. The source of the asbestos carpet underlay is from recycling of hessian bags used to transport material from Wittenoom to Perth in the 1960s and 70s. When is it dangerous? Asbestos underlay is considered dangerous only when disturbed. So walking on a carpet with hessian asbestos carpet underlay is reasonably safe. So what should I do if I suspect asbestos carpet underlay is present in my property? One needs to be careful at the time of replacing the old carpet. It is important to use the services of professionals to pull up the potential asbestos underlay. asbestos-check/asbestos-carpet-underlayn #1m7qhmqimdbjg42b.99 NBN Asbestos Issues Continue! Whirlpool Industry News - posted 6th Feb 2014 As provided to the Senate Estimates committee and I quote! Senator CONROY: You are pretty close to the ground here in Tasmania that is the impression I get. I have heard rumours yesterday, and others have talked about them today on radio, about more asbestos issues coming to the fore. Can you tell us anything at all at this stage? Mr Cook : I was actually on radio directly after you this morning so I heard what you had to say. There was a vicious rumour started floating around yesterday afternoon that works on Telstra remediation were ceasing immediately. What it turned out to be was that the asbestos monitoring was ceasing. The agency that was put in place to monitor the remediation works has seen enough, they are happy with what they are seeing and they are ceasing. So obviously here everything is hunky dory right? Wrong! Asbestos warnings for more than a thousand homes issued by ACT government - Emma Macdonald SENIOR REPORTER FOR THE CANBERRA TIMES - February 18, 2014 The owners of 1049 Canberra homes that were exposed to Mr Fluffy asbestos in the 1970s will be urged by the ACT Government to have their homes professionally inspected for remnants of the potentially lethal insulation. This is despite these residences being part of a $100 million clean-up program that took place between 1988 and 1993 and targeted roof cavities of houses with Mr Fluffy insulation in them. asbestos-warnings-for-more-than-a-thousand-homesissued-by-act-government wmd. html#ixzz2xwni5kjc Asbestos debris left on verge for months in Middle Swan - Date February 14, Rashelle Predovnik - WA today.com.au The Swan shire has come under fire for leaving a pile of asbestos on a verge in Middle Swan for around two months, without covering it or putting on any signage to warn people of the health hazard. The debris was created when a resident on the corner of Bishop Road and Brown Street pulled down the fence and dumped it in the yard of the house next door before she erected a new fence. asbestos-debris-left-on-verge-for-months-in-middleswan msp.html#ixzz2yfq7eknk Asbestos found in primary school in Thornbury - Date February 14, Allison Wallace - The Age Asbestos has been discovered in classrooms used by Prep students at a school in Melbourne s north. Renovations were conducted in the Prep and art and craft classrooms of the Wales Street Primary School in Thornbury over the recent holidays, 3AW Fairfax Radio News reported. While the area was cleaned following the works, tests conducted on dust samples taken from revealed traces of asbestos. Both the Departments of Education and Health say that while students and staff used the classrooms during the first week of school the risk to them is low. The principal of the school, Christopher Sexton, has been moved to a regional office while the Department of Education investigates the matter with Worksafe html#ixzz2yfrb1e9r Thornbury parents demand answers over asbestos scare at Wales Street Primary School - JULIA IRWIN - NORTHCOTE LEADER - FEBRUARY 26, :00AM PARENTS at a Thornbury primary school want an explanation from the Education Department about how their children were exposed to asbestos. When Northcote Leader visited Wales St Primary School last week and spoke to half a dozen parents, they said a meeting with the department last Wednesday raised more questions than it provided answers and did little to reassure them about their children s safety. thornbury-parents-demand-answers-overasbestos-scare-at-wales-street-primary-school/ story-fnglenug Origin s Australia Pacific LNG back to work - March 19, :05 AM - Finance News Network Origin Energy Limited (ASX:ORG) says drilling operations are beginning to restart at its Australia Pacific LNG Project in central Queensland. The news comes after the energy giant suspended coal seam gas drilling at 12 rig sites due to an asbestos scare last week. One of the company s suppliers, owned by Imdex Limited (ASX:IMD), identified asbestos in drilling fluids it was using and has since withdrawn the product from market. finance_news_network76241.html Origin drilling rigs back online after asbestos scare - 20th Mar :27 AM - Noosa News TWELVE Origin drilling rigs that were temporarily shut down due to an asbestos contamination will be progressively brought back online in the next few days. On March 13, the energy company called a temporary halt to projects across 12 south-west Queensland sites after drilling fluids being used were found to contain asbestos. The fluid was supplied by Australian Mud Company and Origin said all stocks of the affected material had been quarantined and accounted for. An Origin spokesman said the product which was found to contain asbestos was called Nutplug (and is included in another product called Stopleak). It is used during drilling to help seal the hole, and prevent drilling fluids moving sideways stopped-rigs-back-on-line/ / Broken Hill Local News - Local News for 26/03/14-26/03/2014, 10:10 AM by Gavin Coote - ABC A Broken Hill contractor is urging renovators to be aware of asbestos in their homes, after concerns a spike in diseases caused by the material is on the horizon Qld unveils plan to streamline asbestos management - Adam Davies - 3rd Apr :50 PM - Caboolture News A NEW Queensland asbestos strategy will aim to streamline the management of the deadly material under one clear and concise plan across the state. Currently four different government departments, 73 local councils as well as numerous other government agencies administer the handling of asbestos complaints and issues in the state. qld-unveils-plan-streamline-asbestosmanagement/ / Asbestos risk lingers as more Mr Fluffy home owners consider legal action - April 14th 2014 Meredith Clisby Canberra Domain Editor Checks reveal Mr Fluffy asbestos still in Canberra homes - Dire warning on Mr Fluffy asbestos The ACT government could face legal action from Mr Fluffy home owners and tradesman who contract deadly mesothelioma from residual loose-fill asbestos in the properties asbestos-risk-lingers-as-more-mr-fluffy-homeowners-consider-legal-action lqu. html#ixzz2z2qlrajy Push to close WA s asbestos compensation loophole - April 14, Leanne Nicholson - WA Today.com.au Continued on the next page... ASBESTOS COUNCIL OF VICTORIA (ACV) AND GIPPSLAND ASBESTOS RELATED DISEASES SUPPORT INC (GARDS) P a g e 7

8 Asbestos Snippets It is a cruel irony that for a state with one of the highest rates of people dying from asbestos-related diseases worldwide, Western Australia has some of the weakest laws protecting its victims. Now a private members bill to bring the state in line with the rest of Australia and allow West Australians to claim further compensation for asbestos-related diseases is fighting for its own survival. push-to-close-was-asbestos-compensation-loophole i8h.html Asbestos scare after building waste falls off truck at Old Guildford in Sydney s west - Mon 14 Apr 2014, 9:58am AEST Fire crews have spent the night clearing up two tonnes of building material containing asbestos that fell off the back of a truck at Old Guildford in Sydney s west. It was first thought the building waste had been dumped in the middle of Springfield Street, but police now believe it was an accident. firefighters-respond-to-asbestos-scare-afterbuilding-waste-falls-off-truck-at-old-guildford-insydneys-west/ Homes with Mr Fluffy asbestos insulation should be demolished, says safety chief - Emma Macdonald - SENIOR REPORTER FOR THE CANBERRA TIMES - April 11, 2014 The head of Australia s federal Asbestos Safety and Eradication Agency, Peter Tighe, said he would not allow his family to live in a home affected by Mr Fluffy asbestos insulation and that Canberra s 1050 Mr Fluffy homes should be demolished. homes-with-mr-fluffy-asbestos-insulation-shouldbe-demolished-says-safety-chief gep. html#ixzz2z2uokdff Read more: act-news/homes-with-mr-fluffy-asbestos-insulation- should-be-demolished-says-safety-chief gep.html#ixzz2z2tfzzn1 Former James Hardie boss thought asbestos health concern was a beat-up - Louise Hall Court Reporter- April 8, The Sydney Morning Herald The man credited with deciding in 1978 to eliminate asbestos from James Hardie products said he thought at the time that widespread health concern about its use in building materials was a media beat-up former-james-hardie-boss-thought-asbestos-healthconcern-was-a-beatup aoq.html New asbestos hotline for Queenslanders - April 3, aap - Seven News Queenslanders will able to find out about asbestos in their homes before it s too late with a new hotline. The state government has launched the hotline and a website to help people find out if there s asbestos in the homes and what they should do about it before they start renovating. new-asbestos-hotline-for-queenslanders/ Rail company play down asbestos risk on coal wagons - By IAN KIRKWOOD - March 24, 2014, 10 p.m. - Newcastle Herald ASBESTOS found in Chinese-built coal wagons posed a negligible risk to employees and the public, coal train company Pacific National said yesterday. But railway insiders are not so sure, saying Pacific National workers have been told to wear face masks while inspecting the trains, which run on Hunter suburban lines. rail-company-play-down-asbestos-risk-on-coalwagons/?cs=391 INTERNATIONAL Fire-fighters continue to battle blaze at derelict asbestos factory - Manchester Evening news - Jan 31, :22 By Pete Bainbridge Around 35 fire-fighters are tackling flames which gutted the former Turner Industrial Products site in Rochdale co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/ firefighters-continue-battle-rochdale-blaze Rochdale s asbestos legacy featured in new science publication - Date published: 19 March Rochdale online A new international science publication called Mosaic has just published an in depth investigation into asbestos. It features many of the issues published by Rochdale Online in many articles over the past 10 years - in particular the knowledge and cover-up of the health hazards of asbestos - cancer in particular. There is also mention of Rochdale s Nellie Kershaw, the first person to be diagnosed with asbestosis after her early death in news-headlines/86042/rochdales-asbestos-legacyfeatured-in-new-science-publication Piperhill fined for flouting asbestos regs - Construction News - Mon March 31st published 30/01/2014 Fit-out and refurbishment specialist Piperhill Construction Ltd has been fined 8,000 for stripping out asbestos without a licence. piperhill-find-for-flouting-asbestos-regs Guilty Plea Entered by Malone Landlord and Maintenance Supervisor in Asbestos Case - Rick Kornak provides sharp news and insightful articles for the Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance The two men were indicted in March, 2012, for illegally removing and disposing of more than 260 of asbestos-containing pipe wrap from two locations, both of which are owned by Mills. Allen was employed as a maintenance supervisor. guilty-plea-entered-by-malone-landlord-andmaintenance-supervisor-in-asbestos-case.htm Hotel has significant asbestos - Posted: Saturday, February 1, :00 am - By KELLI BALLARD kballard@portervillerecorder.com Not a threat to the public, says officials - Concerns surrounding the amount of asbestos in the Porterville Hotel were prominent before the fire that destroyed the historical building on Dec. 26, 2013; however, the fire and demolition have actually made the situation worse. hotel-has-significant-asbestos/article_4df75d56-8add-11e a43b2370.html Banned across the world, asbestos continues to plague Pakistan - International - The News -our correspondent - Sunday, February 02, From Print Edition - Seven years ago, Fareed Ahmed died of tongue cancer at the age of 55. He was working as an engineer at a building and construction factory. Doctors said his death was due to asbestos poisoning. Todays-News Banned-across-theworld,asbestos-continues-to-plague-Pakistan Washington Co. approves contract for demolition, asbestos work - Herald Mail Media - Posted: Sunday, February 2, :10 pm - Posted on Feb 2, 2014 by CJ Lovelace Making way for several projects, the Washington County Board of Commissioners approved a $111,700 contract last week to abate asbestos and demolish a handful of old buildings. The commissioners on Jan. 28 voted 5-0 to approve the low bid from contractor Allegany Wrecking and Salvage of Hagerstown in support of the county s projects, which include the road-widening improvements along Robinwood Drive and Eastern Boulevard north. heraldmailmedia. com/news/local/ washington-coapprovescontractfor-demolitionasbestos-work/ article_3edbcba8-8c5f-11e a43b2370.html Asbestos testing could be coming to Beckenham High Street - News Shopper UK - 2:42pm Monday 3rd February 2014 in News By Joshua Barrie ASBESTOS testing could be coming to Beckenham High Street after a planning application was lodged to change a building s usage. Bromley Council has confirmed a submission has been received for a property on the road and is set for assessment. A resident wrote in to the News Shopper with concerns that an asbestos testing plant may be constructed in a built-up and densely populated area. The council said nothing has been decided and stated: We can confirm that we have received a planning application for the refurbishment and extension of a property 182a High Street, Beckenham which includes a change of use. Asbestos_testing_could_be_coming_to_ Beckenham_High_Street/ Case Sheds Light On The Murky World Of Asbestos Litigation - Kera News - BY MICHAELTOMSIC Originally published on Tue February 4, :00 pm This is a case about a bankrupt company, legal shenanigans, and a rare type of cancer. You may have seen TV commercials about mesothelioma, mainly caused by inhaling asbestos minerals many companies once used in insulation and other products. According to a 2011 report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office, companies have set aside more than $30 billion for mesothelioma victims since the 1980s. Asbestos lawsuits have played a role in about 100 companies going bankrupt. One of those is a gasket manufacturer called Garlock. Its parent company, EnPro Industries, is based in Charlotte, N.C. As part of Garlock s $1 billion bankruptcy case, a judge has slashed what the manufacturer owes asbestos victims after finding that the victim s lawyers abused the system. Some call Garlock s bankruptcy case a watershed moment. case-sheds-light-murky-world-asbestos-litigation Surrey firm in court after asbestos find at school - 5 February H & V News - editor Dennis Flower A building contractor has been fined for ignoring asbestos safety rules after the potentially deadly material was discovered in a basement area at the independent Woldingham girls school in Caterham. Elmwood Park s Sealed Air pays $930 million in cash to asbestos trust - FEBRUARY 4, 2014, 4:51 PM BY KATHLEEN LYNN - STAFF WRITER - THE RECORD Sealed Air Corp., the Elmwood Park maker of Bubble Wrap, has paid $930 million in cash into a trust for asbestos victims, the company said Tuesday. The payment settles a claim that arose after Sealed Air bought a business from W.R. Grace & Co., which filed for bankruptcy after facing millions of dollars in asbestos claims. W.R. Grace emerged from bankruptcy Monday, after almost 13 years, which cleared the way for Sealed Air to pay the settlement. elmwood-park-s-sealed-air-pays-930-million-incash-to-asbestos-trust P a g e 8 ASBESTOS COUNCIL OF VICTORIA (ACV) AND GIPPSLAND ASBESTOS RELATED DISEASES SUPPORT INC (GARDS)

9 Asbestos Snippets Port Royal fire station reopened after asbestos roof replaced - Thursday, February 06, :31 PM - Jamaica Observer KINGSTON, Jamaica -- The Port Royal Fire Station was reopened Wednesday after rehabilitation work to replace the roof, which was said to have contained asbestos. Local Government state minister with direct responsibility for the Jamaica Fire Brigade, Colin Fagan, gave the main address at the rededication ceremony. Port-Royal-fire-station-reopened-after-asbestosroof-replaced Deep Wood Elementary tests positive for asbestos - by KVUE News khou.com Posted on February 5, 2014 at 11:22 PM ROUND ROCK, Texas -- Round Rock ISD says a elementary school is testing positive for asbestos. An inspection uncovered 2 to 3 percent asbestos in the walls of Deep Wood Elementary. local/&fdomain=10232 Hospital has a supporting role - Belper News UK Ilkeston Community Hospital will continue to play a role in supporting displaced patients as the future of nearby Heanor Memorial Hospital is decided. The Heanor health facility is facing a crisis after asbestos was found in the building on Ilkeston Road. The initial discovery was made in the boiler room last September, which forced some services, including a blood clinic, to be transferred to Ilkeston hospital on Heanor Road. But since then more asbestos has been found. hospital-has-a-supporting-role Man died 50 years after working with asbestos - 11:20am Friday 7th February 2014 in NewsBy Stroud News & Journal Reporter A STONEHOUSE man s work at a notorious asbestos hot spot caused his death 50 years later, an inquest heard yesterday, Thursday. Gordon Bennett worked at Fibrecrete in Chalford Hill from 1958 to Almost half a century after he finished that employment Mr Bennett, of Woodcock Lane, Stonehouse, was diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma, a fatal cancer that s invariably caused by asbestos exposure. co.uk/news/ Man_died_50_years_after_working_with_asbestos/ More Asbestos Found at La Habra Heights City Hall - Friday, February 07, 2014 Garden Grove, CA, February 7th, Web Wire Last month, the Whittier Daily News reported that a renovation project at the La Habra Heights City Hall has had to be changed after more asbestos was found on the building s roof. According to the article, asbestos had already been found in some parts of the building, but the latest discovery was found in a fabric membrane on the roof that had not previously been tested. asp?aid=185260#.u0oqffn_dmc Lift firms fined for asbestos negligence - Construction News Tue April 8th 2014 West Yorkshire firm Express Elevators Ltd was contracted by Anchor Trust to replace the lift at St Paul s Court sheltered housing scheme in Alnwick in November PC Lifts, of London, was subcontracted to remove the existing lift ahead of the new one being installed. The lift shaft contained asbestos boards, which PC Lifts removed without putting any measures in place to prevent the spread of asbestos fibres. lift-firms-fined-for-asbestos-negligence Housing trust and two firms fined for potential asbestos risk - 11 February H&V News - Dennis Flower A trust providing housing and care for the elderly and two firms hired to carry out refurbishment work at its premises in Alnwick have been fined after staff and residents were put at risk of exposure to asbestos. West Yorkshire firm Express Elevators, of Otley Road, Baildon, Shipley, West Yorkshire, was contracted by Anchor Trust, of Bedford Street, London, to replace the lift at St Paul s Court sheltered housing scheme in November article Questions over asbestos disposal - Updated at 11:28 am on 13 February Radio New Zealand News New Zealand First wants answers from the Government about potential plans to transport asbestos-contaminated material from Christchurch to Southland. At the moment, the contaminated material is taken to Kate Valley, a landfill north of Christchurch, in specific containers and disposed of in designated areas. Christchurch earthquake issues spokesperson Denis O Rourke said he s heard about plans to change that arrangement from sources in the transport industry and wants to discuss them with Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee questions-over-asbestos-disposal Asbestos and damage: Engineers examine historic GAA ground storm - NICOLA ANDERSON PUBLISHED 13 FEBRUARY :53 PM Independent.ie Engineers are surveying damage at Nowlan Park - the home of Kilkenny hurling - after yesterday s severe storm which is said to be the worst in over 50 years. O Loughlin road where the stadium is situated and surrounding areas are strewn with chunks of hazardous asbestos that blew off the roof of an old stand. Two houses nearby had windows broken by flying pieces, while the roof of another house was damaged. Many elderly people in the area have now been taken out of their homes by relatives while the cleanup operation gets underway. independent.ie/ irish-news/asbestosand-damageengineersexaminehistoric-gaa-groundstorm html Quake asbestos heading south - LOUISE BERWICK - The Southland Times Toxic waste containing asbestos from Christchurch demolition sites could soon be transported to Southland. Southland company AB Lime, which has a landfill site near Browns, was approached by a consultant in Christchurch several weeks ago to see whether it would be willing to take toxic rubble from condemned buildings in Christchurch. AB Lime general manager Steve Smith said no deals had been made and the firm was waiting to hear back from the consultant. news/ /quake-asbestos-heading-south Insurers urged to fund research into asbestos cancer - 13 April BBC News Health Writing for the BBC News website, Dr John Moore- Gillon of the British Lung Foundation says this would aid research - and cut future insurance payouts. Symptoms of mesothelioma take decades to develop after exposure to asbestos fibres, but it can then kill quickly. An insurance industry spokesman said discussions were set to take place shortly with the BLF on the issue. Byzantine Monks Built Walls With Asbestos, Too - By Rachel Nuwer - smithsonianmag.com - April 3, 2014 In millennia past, asbestos has also been used to make stronger pottery and flame-proof napkins. Late 19th century architects were by no means the first to discover the building and fire-proofing wonders of asbestos (although they were the first to discover its cancer-causing propensities). As it turns out, artistic monks working in the 1100s also favoured the material for making wall paintings, LiveScience reports. asbestos-first-gained-popularity-among-byzantinemonks-constructing-wall-paintings /?noist Group to advocate asbestos bylaw at Saskatoon council - CBC News Posted: Mar 30, 2014 The Saskatchewan Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization wants a new asbestos bylaw in Saskatoon. A group of health advocates wants Saskatoon to consider an asbestos bylaw. The Saskatchewan Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization is asking the city to adopt a bylaw that would make it mandatory that contractors notify workers when there s a risk of asbestos exposure. group-to-advocate-asbestos-bylaw-at-saskatooncouncil Are you nursing a loved one with a terminal illness? WE ARE HERE FOR YOU! The Latrobe Valley Palliative Care Fundraising Association provides financial assistance to patients and their families by paying for equipment hire needed in the patient s home to help them be more comfortable and make it easier for their carer. If necessary, we can assist with financial help for medication and oxygen. CALL or This service operates with the hard work of volunteers and the generous public who help us raise the funds needed to run the service, thereby making a big difference to numerous lives. Would you care to Join us? Call No list below. We have also been aware of the need to train workers in the Aged Care Homes within the Valley; wishing to honour our two late leaders Angela Dempsey/ Bernadette Carstein we have set up a Scholarship in their names. Last year we paid for 11 Aged Care personnel, this year we have 16 doing the course of Palliative Care - A short Course at Monash University, Churchill. To discuss how we can assist with the comfort of your loved one and make it a little easier for you. ASBESTOS COUNCIL OF VICTORIA (ACV) AND GIPPSLAND ASBESTOS RELATED DISEASES SUPPORT INC (GARDS) P a g e 9

10 Special People and Organisations Regular donations made to us by these generous companies GJ Crosby Contractors thank you to Judi, Kerri and all the family & we would also like to thank Paul & Darren and all the team at Mairin OHS&E Consulting We would like to take this opportunity to thank individuals who have donated to us in different ways over the last few months: n Ray, Ann & Craig Watson, n Rose Nechwatal, n Joe Marschalek x 2, n David & Yvonne Stewart, n George Ridley, n Dell Blanch, n John & Alison Parker, n Sister Joy Hanrahan Home Taste Chinese Restaurant The ACV/GARDS organisation would like to again thank Pinky and Tony Lau for their continued support & friendship with our organisation. Janet Hodson and the Dunn Family ACV/GARDS would like to thank you all for donating a home oxygen concentrator and also a portable oxygen concentrator in Memory of Robert Dunn. Both these valued items will be in high demand and we thank you so much for thinking of us. It is a generous thing to do at a time of great sadness for you all. Margaret Cook A big thank you to Margaret for selling Asbestos Awareness Badges for us she did a mammoth job. You are a star!!! Gippsland Trades Union Combined Picnic ACV/GARDS committee and members would like to thank & recognise the great support the Gippsland trades Union Combined Picnic give to us. They have made a donation of $2000 to our org. We are very lucky to have such great support with an annual donation like this. Thank so much to the organisers Tom Malone, Toby Thornton and Kevin Hills along with all the union members and their families. It is a wonderful gift. Donations made in Memory EX Work Mates Mick Chopping South Gippsland & East Gippsland Agent for Air Liquide South Gippsland & East Gippsland Agent for Air Liquide The ACV/GARDS organisation would like to acknowledge the support that we get from Paul Cornelis South Gippsland Agent for Air Liquide and also Tony Robinson East Gippsland Agent for Air Liquide. Both these agents fit our oxygen concentrators and conserving devices for our sufferers when ever needed - they do this for us as a donation to our organisation. You are truly wonderful people who should be commended for your good deeds. Online Donations Maree Hall Morwell Bowling Club We would like to thank the management of the Morwell Bowling Club and a big thank you to Michelle Curtis who is helping to raise money for ACV/GARDS. Please support the club and you will be supporting us too. Thank you so much to all - it is great to have you in our corner. Donations made in Memory of Dorothy Graze Jim and Shirley Connaghan Congratulations to our new Committee The ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING was held - Saturday 1st Feb 2014 at 2.00pm at our office 41 Monash Road, Newborough We would like to congratulate the following people were elected to the committee of management for a 2 year period in position of President, Treasurer and Committee member. The six members of the committee will have a busy year and we wish them a very successful 2014/15 year. Below is a short bio on the 3 newly elected committee for the next 2 years. Committee Member Colin Ross I was the President of Gippsland Trades & Labour Council for 7 years, I am a current Cardinia Shire Councillor 6+ years, I was the Chair of Metro Waste Management Group 2012/13- (30 member council), I am a Board Member of the Vic Local Governance Assoc, Executive Member Australian Christian Lobby 2006, Finalist ACTU union delegate of the year 2001, Won Federal 2001& State 2012, Awarded for outstanding service to Australasian Meat Employees Union. Treasurer David Fairbairn I am 28 years old and have lived in Latrobe Valley for over a year. I have been on the committee of ACV/ GARDS for the last 2 years. I attended school in Traralgon until I was in grade 4 and my family moved to Endeavour Hills. I completed VCE at Eumemmerring Secondary College, Hallam and then went on to finish my double Diplomas in both Microbiological and Aseptic techniques as well as Industrial and Environmental laboratory techniques in I have worked in several laboratories around Melbourne & currently work in a laboratory in Sale. I have an interest in computers and new technology in general. President Dorothy Roberts I am a widow of an asbestos sufferer, I have firsthand knowledge of what it is like to care for someone with asbestos disease and understand only too well the heart break that comes with this condition. I have been with the organisation for 14 years. I started as committee member of ACV/ GARDS for 7 years & then became Vice President in 2008 and now have been elected as President of ACV/GARDS in I have a great deal of knowledge on asbestos issues and seen many changes in attitudes around asbestos over the years. P a g e 10 ASBESTOS COUNCIL OF VICTORIA (ACV) AND GIPPSLAND ASBESTOS RELATED DISEASES SUPPORT INC (GARDS)

11 GARDS Inc. Membership Form Name: Address: Postcode: Telephone: Occupation: Committee of Management President: Dorothy Roberts Ph Mobile Vice President: Marie Smith Ph Mobile CEO/Secretary: Vicki Hamilton OAM Ph Mobile Treasurer: David Fairbairn Mobile Member: Collin Ross Mobile Ray Watson Ph Mobile GARDS NEW MEMBERS Joining Fee $5.00 PLUS GARDS Annual Subscription Concession (Pensioner/unemployed) $ Full Rate (employed) $11.00 Upon my admission as a Member, I agree to be bound by the rules of GARDS Inc. Signature: Date: Please return to GARDS Inc. with payment, PO Box 111, MOE, Vic Office Use Only I , a Member of the GARDS Inc. nominate the Applicant for Membership of the Association Signature of Proposer: Date: I , a Member of the GARDS Inc. second the nomination of the Applicant for Membership of the Association Signature of Proposer: Date: GARDS Fees Joining Fee: $5.00 Annual Fees: Pensioner/Concession Unemployed $3.00 Employed persons $11.00 Meetings SUPPORT: Last Tuesday of month, 1.30pm pm EVENINGS: 3rd Tuesday of month, 7.30pm pm Office Hours Monday to Thursday 10am - 4pm Friday - By appointment CALL IN FOR A CHAT AND CUPPA ACV/GARDS SUPPORT GROUP MEETINGS FOR PM 3.30PM Meetings are held at ACV/GARDS Premises 41 Monash Road, Newborough n Tuesday 25th February n Tuesday 25th March n Tuesday 29th April n Tuesday 27th May n Tuesday 24th June n Tuesday 29th July n Tuesday 26th August n Tuesday 30th September n Tuesday 28th October n Friday 28th November Asbestos Awareness Day, Rose Garden, Morwell n Christmas Break-Up TBA ACV/GARDS NIGHT MEETINGS FOR PM 9.30PM Meetings are held at ACV/GARDS Premises 41 Monash Road, Newborough n Tuesday 18th February n Tuesday 18th March n Tuesday 15th April n Tuesday 20th May n Tuesday 17th June n Tuesday 15th July n Tuesday 19th August n Tuesday 16th September n Tuesday 21st October n Tuesday 18th November n Christmas Break-Up TBA UP COMING EVENTS Our Night/Day Meetings SUPPORT GROUP Tuesday 29 April 2014 Peter Collins Sustainability Education Officer - Latrobe City 27 May 2014 Hugh Falls CFA Officer 24 June 2014 Suzanne Tennant Mental Health Nurse INTERNATIONAL WORKERS MEMORIAL DAY FRIDAY 2 MAY 2014 AT 11AM Centenary Rose Garden Morwell ASBESTOS COUNCIL OF VICTORIA (ACV) AND GIPPSLAND ASBESTOS RELATED DISEASES SUPPORT INC (GARDS) P a g e 11

12 ACV/GARDS INC. SUPPORT We are situated at: 41 Monash Road, Newborough, Victoria PO Box 111, Moe, Vic On line donations com.au/gards Phone: Fax: Web site: SKYPE: VickiGARDS You can find our link on the home page of the GARDS website or at facebook.com/gardsinc ACV/GARDS provides support and information to asbestos sufferers, their families and carers. This includes home visits by ACV/GARDS volunteers, a telephone information/support service 24 hours, 7 days a week. ACV/GARDS has an office, which is open for sufferers, their families, carers and the general community to access at the times listed in the information section. ACV/GARDS INC. Support also conducts a monthly meeting (1.30pm 3.30pm) on the last Tuesday of the month) where guest presenters are invited to provide information about support services of all kinds and any other topics of interest that the members might find of relevance. The meetings also provide a gathering ACV/GARDS INC. EVENING MEETING ACV/GARDS has an organisational, activities and advocating arm. Interested financial members can come along to evening meetings, which are, conducted 7.30pm 9.30pm on the third Tuesday of the month. These meetings provide a focal point for information place for experiences; ACV/GARDS Support is open to anyone whose lives have been affected by asbestos, their families and the general public. ACV/GARDS loans out free of charge to asbestos sufferers - oxygen bottle regulators, conserving devices, oxygen home concentrators, wheel chairs, oxygen bottle carriers, nebuliser, walking frames & walking sticks. We also have an extensive library of books, DVDs and CDs on asbestos issues, health, social and environmental that we loan free of charge to those wishing to improve their knowledge ACV/GARDS can provide professional counselling with a qualified psychologist free of charge for those who have been diagnosed with asbestos related disease and also their family members. If preferred telephone counselling can be arranged. sharing and problem identification. The aim of this group is to focus on improving health and support services and any other issues deemed relevant to improving overall outcomes to asbestos sufferers, their families and the general public. Thus ensuring asbestos-related issues are kept in the public eye and trying to rid our environment of asbestos products. THANK YOU ACV/GARDS Inc. would like to thank these sponsors and supporters LATROBE VALLEY FUNERAL SERVICES Major SponsorS G & J CROSBY CONTRACTORS PTY. LTD. - Demolition - Asbestos - Hire or Contract - Second Hand Building Materials Ph: Mob: Supporting Workers and Their Communities P a g e 12 ASBESTOS COUNCIL OF VICTORIA (ACV) AND GIPPSLAND ASBESTOS RELATED DISEASES SUPPORT INC (GARDS)