The Victorian Government is refusing to sign up to a national plan to rid public buildings of asbestos; calling the scheme an “ineffective Labor policy”.

The Federal Government established the new office of asbestos safety after growing concerns about the health risks associated with asbestos, which recently gained a lot of attention after revelations hundreds of Victorian schools still contain the poisonous insulation. The new body is to oversee a national strategy aimed at removing all asbestos related materials from public buildings by 2030.

The National Strategic Plan for the Management of Asbestos was recommended by a review run by Australian Council of Trade Unions assistant secretary Geoff Fary.

Victoria says it has its own plan for asbestos. When asked why Victoria had not agreed to the national approach, Assistant Treasurer Gordon Rich-Phillips said Victoria already had a targeted response to asbestos, including a memorandum of understanding between the Victorian WorkCover Authority, the Environment Protection Authority, and the Victorian Department of Health.

Federal Minister for Workplace Relations Bill Shorten says, “Asbestos is a deadly scourge - more Australians will be killed by asbestos than gave their lives on the battlefield at Flanders. It is no place for political posturing, and particularly not the kind of negative politics we keep seeing come out of Treasury Place.”