The foundation’s national president Barry Robson said an alliance between Tamworth Regional Council, the Australian Manufacturers Workers’ Union (AMWU) and ADFA was committed to taking the bush to Sydney to ensure the “out of sight, out of mind” mentality did not continue.

The Woodsreef site, 18km east of Barraba, was closed more than 20 years ago but has received little in the way of remediation.

“The Government knows this is bad. They have known for years. They just don’t know what to do with it,” Mr Robson said.

“It is a massive, massive problem – it’s an Ayres Rock of asbestos tailings and nothing’s been done about it.”

Mr Robson was aware of several people who worked at or were associated with the mine during its operation who had been diagnosed with asbestos-

related diseases.

“These diseases are such a long time in the making,” he said.

“People don’t think it will happen to them because there are no immediate symptoms.

“The fact is they take about 20 years to develop, so given the mine was closed more than 20 years ago, now is the time when these diseases start to emerge.”

When asked what he thought about a Government taskforce set up earlier this month to monitor the site, Mr Robson said he wasn’t losing any sleep over it.

“It’s a bureaucratic cover up because they have known about this for years,” he said.

“I certainly don’t lay awake thinking about it at night.”

Mr Robson said while past campaigns to rehabilitate the site had failed, he was confident this one would not.

“We are taking this to Sydney, to the ministers and Government and putting more pressure on everyone,” he said.

“By taking it to Sydney, you can guarantee the Sydney media will get on board and once they come under that pressure, results will follow.”

Following a recent trip to the mine site, Mr Robson told The Leader he was appalled by the sight of the asbestos tailings flowing onto the road.

“I could not believe what I was seeing and I have never, never seen anything else like it in my six years as president of ADFA,” he said.

“For the Government to say there is no health risk is ridiculous. There is no safe level of any form of asbestos – whether blue or white.”

It is understood the AMWU, ADFA and a representative from the Tamworth Regional Council will meet with the Minister for Local Government Paul Lynch and the Minister for Emergency Services and Water Nathan Rees on Monday.