Three former ABC employees have died after potentially being exposed to asbestos at the broadcaster’s Victorian offices, a Senate estimates hearing has been told.
ABC managing director Hugh Marks confirmed the deaths in a written response to a question on notice, calling it an “horrific situation”.
“Asbestos, obviously, is something that afflicts us all and continues to this day to play a presence in many homes, offices, buildings, facilities,” he said.
“I think the work that we’re doing is extensive.
“We’re deeply, obviously, concerned for any of our staff who’ve suffered, you know, loss or even the worry of potential loss that just sits, you know … at the back of your mind, having worked in some of these facilities over time.”
The broadcaster told the hearing it was aware of the deaths but did not know whether there was a “direct relationship” between their illnesses and the former ABC sites.
Two Victorian locations, Elsternwick and Broadcast House, were exposed to asbestos between “the ’50s and mid-to-late ’80s”, when the ABC began asbestos management processes.
Liberal senator Sarah Henderson described the situation as “very horrific”, and noted a personal connection, saying she previously worked at the ABC’s Elsternwick site.
Senator Henderson criticised the ABC after an initial response caused confusion, as they listed two deaths, which was later correct to three.
“I’m not quite sure how we would get an answer from the ABC, the most trusted broadcaster, as you say, and get such basic facts so wrong,” she said.
ABC chief financial officer Melanie Kleyn confirmed all three deaths were linked to the Elsternwick office in Melbourne’s inner suburbs.
However, she could not confirm how many former staff may now be living with asbestos-related disease.
“I do not wish to diminish the issue at all,” she said.
“There is no way for us to know who had exposure to our sites in a manner in which we may understand if they’ve had exposure, and they are therefore unwell from that exposure.”
The hearing was told the ABC has an asbestos register accessible to staff via the broadcaster’s intranet.
Families of the three former employees have been “compensated financially through insurance schemes”, the hearing was told.
Image: Shutterstock
