Why we are taking on the fight
WA has the Highest Mesothelioma Rate in the World.
Legal Case
Gordon Legal acts for BNTAC, the Aboriginal Corporation which represents the Banjima people.
Banjima County has been poisoned by the asbestos mines at Wittenoom and the decades long failure to clean it up. Consequently, the health of the Banjima people has been put at risk for generations.
Our legal case is twofold:
Traditional Owners' land rights have been interfered with by the asbestos contamination, limiting access to culturally significant sites and enjoyment of Country.
The poisoning of Country has caused thousands to be diagnosed with asbestos-related diseases, including mesothelioma.
We are fighting for:
Clean-up of the three main tailings dumps so as to eliminate the erosion spread hazard of those dumps for future generations;
Compensation to BNTAC for the past and continuing Wittenoom asbestos hazard;
Punishment, for those responsible for the reckless and disgraceful creation and maintenance of the Wittenoom asbestos hazard; and
Compensation to Banjima people for the wrongs occasioned to them and guaranteed options for them if they develop asbestos related disease.
Gordon Legal takes on challenging and high-profile cases to seek to protect the rights of everyday people.
We are honored and committed to achieving justice for the Banjima people.
Behind the Case: Peter Gordon
.jpeg)
Peter is one of Australia’s most prominent class action lawyers. He has an unrivalled record of fighting for justice for working people, and has conducted many history-making class action cases, as well as a large number of individual actions. He established Gordon Legal to provide an unprecedented legal service to those who need it most.
In 1985, Peter obtained the first successful asbestos cancer damages verdict in Australia and since that time he has acted for over 2000 people in successful claims over asbestos-induced disease. His work for Wittenoom asbestos miners established the right of Australian workers to claim punitive damages from their employer, and also established the direct tort liability of parent companies whose guiding hand put the employees of their subsidiary companies in harm’s way.
