Asbestos victim Bernie Banton says he has received hate mail during his fight to secure compensation for victims of James Hardie's building products.


Appearing on Andrew Denton's 'Enough Rope' program tonight with his wife Karen, Mr Banton speaks about the emotional toll of the battle against James Hardie Industries, his financial struggles, and deteriorating health.


Mr Banton, who worked for Hardie for six years in the late '60s and '70s, has become the face of the compensation campaign for victims of the company's asbestos products.

"It's been really tough emotionally, you know, some of the sick letters we've got accusing me of being a blubberer and a low life and a bottom feeder and all these things,"

he says.


Mr Banton also says that during his campaign, James Hardie's representatives had literally laughed in his face.


He said he was derided when he tried to convince the company in 2000 that $300 million was not a large enough fund for victims.

"They literally laughed," Mr Banton said.
"Their PR people just laughed at us whenever we tried to bring this before them and confront them with it - they laughed at us.
"They thought we were a mob of ratbags and that we'd go away."

While Mr Banton's compensation case was settled in 2000, he says his family has struggled financially.
Friends have even held a benefit dinner to save the family from financial ruin.

"We're very, very grateful for that because if they hadn't come up with that idea then our house would be on the market,"

Mrs Banton says.


Despite his failing health, Mr Banton continues to campaign and is now pushing for the multi-billion fund set up for victims to be made tax free.

"The irony is you now find yourself standing side by side with Hardies fighting the tax office," he says.
"I've said right from the beginning of this fight that until they put me in a box, I'll be out there fighting."

Of the 137 people Mr Banton worked with at James Hardie, only nine are still alive, the others having died from asbestos-related illnesses.


The interview comes at a time when a long-fought for compensation deal is in doubt.


The NSW government is lobbying Canberra to overturn a tax office ruling that James Hardie says threatens the entire deal.


In December, James Hardie agreed to set up a fund to provide up to $4.5 billion over 40 years to victims, but only if both the fund, and the company's payments to it, were tax deductible.


However, the tax office has ruled that the fund cannot be treated as a tax-exempt charity.


State governments, including NSW, and victims say the Federal Government must overturn the decision so those affected get the compensation they deserve.


Source: The Telegraph


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