GREATER Hume Council leaders feel the NSW government now has a better understanding of Holbrook’s asbestos situation after a ministerial visit this week.
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Mayor Heather Wilton said talks with Minister for Innovation and Better Regulation Matt Kean about the loose-fill asbestos program had gone well.
“We’re pleased that he has been able to find time to come down because we believe that it’s very important and we’ve been wanting him to come for a little while now,” she said.
Thirty-three Holbrook homes, 5 per cent of the town’s properties, have tested positive to the dangerous material.
Mr Kean said on Monday Holbrook was a special case that warranted extra assistance but could not give further details at that stage.
Under the government’s scheme, some affected home owners found the valuations being offered would not cover the cost to rebuild or buy another house.
Greater Hume general manager Steven Pinnuck said while “no-one’s expecting new for old”, Holbrook building projects could incur costs not found in a bigger centre.
One affected resident had been quoted $1000 a month for the builder’s travel.
“So when it’s going to take four or five months, that’s four or five thousand dollars,” he said. “When you’re struggling to do that in the first place, every cent counts.”
Mr Kean defended the voluntary purchase and demolition program, which aimed to preserve public health and support home owners.
“Right now the value of those homes, it’s not there,” he said. “If the government had not stepped in to protect the value of these homes, many of these people would be left without anything.”
Member for Albury Greg Aplin, who accompanied Mr Kean to Holbrook, raised the town’s circumstances in Parliament last month.
Mr Aplin said while the government’s action plan was fair, a lack of flexibility was hindering progress.
“If we are not watchful, we will end up with the worst of all scenarios – too many people will leave town for good or stay in their dangerous homes,” he said.
He called for compensation that was also attractive to its target audience.
“To put it in perspective, the cost of rejuvenating Holbrook and ridding the town of the menace that is loose-fill asbestos is no more than the cost of two or three Sydney homes,” Mr Aplin said.