Payment to be made over Vic asbestos cases

A leading building products company must contribute thousands toward settlements for asbestos-related illnesses contracted at State Electricity Commission of Victoria facilities in the 1960s and 1970s.

Building product company CSR, Bradford Insulation - also under the CSR banner - and James Hardie in the 60s and 70s manufactured and distributed Hardie-BI asbestos insulation which was supplied to the SECV and its contractors.

Between 1997 and 2003 James Hardie - now Amaca Pty Ltd - contributed money toward settlements for asbestos exposure at SECV sites, and last year went to the Victorian Supreme Court to make a claim against the other two companies.

Justice Cameron Macaulay on Wednesday ordered CSR and Bradford to make contributions in respect of five people who were exposed to asbestos.

The money is expected to go to the Asbestos Injuries Compensation Fund, which owns Amaca and manages claims for people with asbestos-related diseases.