GARDS News Item

02/05/06
GARDS INVITED TO RECEPTION BY NSW PREMIER

GARDS executive committee, Lyle Seear, Trevor Callow and Vicki Hamilton attended a reception held by the Premier of NSW Morris Iemma MP to recognise the signing of the James Hardie agreement on Tuesday 2nd of May at Governor Macquarie Tower in Sydney.

The reception was for all those who had had major roles in the James Hardie campaign. Among those who attended were: Bernie Baton asbestos victims representative, Greg Combet ACTU president, Bob Carr previous Premier of NSW who was instrumental in setting up the James Hardie enquiry, the law firms Slater & Gordon and Turner & Freeman who donated their time and expertise pro bono to the James Hardie Commission, Union leaders, all major support groups from around Australia, doctors and many more who helped to play a part in the largest personal injury settlement in Australia’s history. The amount of compensation that could be paid to victims of asbestos over the next 40 to 50 years could exceed 6 billion dollars.

Vicki Hamilton said that she wanted to thank the Gippsland Trades & Labour Council especially the CMFEU and the AMWU in the Gippsland area who helped GARDS in the quest to bring the James Hardie campaign to the people of Victoria. Big thanks must also go to Peter Gordon and his dedicated staff of Slater & Gordon for all their expertise in a case that tested any good law firm to its limits. Vicki also stated that she was overwhelmed with the support given to GARDS from the Gippsland community, along with the media coverage from ABC radio, LV Express and country regional TV stations who helped to bring the plight of asbestos sufferers everywhere to the people. This settlement will ensure that there is enough money into the future to properly compensate asbestos sufferers wherever they are in Australia. The campaign highlighted what people power can achieve when they ban together to prevent injustices in Australia. To all those people who gave us good wishes and support wherever you are, many thanks from the bottom of our hearts.

Pictured from left: Lyle Seear, Trevor Callow, Morris Iemma Premier of NSW, Vicki Hamilton, Nikki Diver ADSVIC support worker and Bob Carr previous NSW Premier

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