1 00:00:07,133 --> 00:00:10,453 Speaker 1: You're listening to the Saturday Morning with Jack Team podcast 2 00:00:10,573 --> 00:00:11,693 Speaker 1: from News Talks that Be. 3 00:00:13,133 --> 00:00:15,453 Speaker 2: So there's an issue that's kind of burning away at 4 00:00:15,453 --> 00:00:20,373 Speaker 2: the moment, affecting thousands of honestly, probably tens of thousands 5 00:00:20,413 --> 00:00:24,013 Speaker 2: of us, that I don't think is getting anything like 6 00:00:24,333 --> 00:00:30,893 Speaker 2: the attention it deserves. Three additional colored sand products tested 7 00:00:30,933 --> 00:00:34,573 Speaker 2: positive for asbestos this week, so two on Monday and 8 00:00:34,613 --> 00:00:38,133 Speaker 2: then another one on Thursday, all of them additional brands 9 00:00:38,173 --> 00:00:41,613 Speaker 2: sold at discount shops around the country, to add to 10 00:00:41,653 --> 00:00:45,013 Speaker 2: the products that have already been announced in the colored 11 00:00:45,093 --> 00:00:49,173 Speaker 2: sand recall earlier this month. Now, I'll put my cards 12 00:00:49,213 --> 00:00:51,973 Speaker 2: on the table. Our eight year old is at a 13 00:00:52,013 --> 00:00:55,053 Speaker 2: school that has been affected by the recall. They had 14 00:00:55,093 --> 00:00:57,413 Speaker 2: to shut the school down for a day they tested 15 00:00:58,093 --> 00:01:01,573 Speaker 2: and found traces of asbestos. A number of classrooms have 16 00:01:01,653 --> 00:01:05,773 Speaker 2: been affected, and even though the testing found no traces 17 00:01:05,853 --> 00:01:09,333 Speaker 2: of in the year, for at least the remainder of 18 00:01:09,373 --> 00:01:13,013 Speaker 2: the year, the school has been thrown into a situation 19 00:01:13,773 --> 00:01:16,413 Speaker 2: where they are trying to teach the same number of 20 00:01:16,493 --> 00:01:19,733 Speaker 2: kids as always, but in far fewer classrooms. So it means, 21 00:01:19,733 --> 00:01:24,013 Speaker 2: you know, kind of ad hoc cramp learning spaces in 22 00:01:24,053 --> 00:01:26,653 Speaker 2: two classrooms. They're going to have to rip out all 23 00:01:26,653 --> 00:01:29,413 Speaker 2: of the carpet, rip off all of the wall coverings, 24 00:01:29,653 --> 00:01:32,773 Speaker 2: get rid of all of the soft furnishings, do it 25 00:01:32,813 --> 00:01:38,613 Speaker 2: all with asbestos protocols in place. Other classrooms require professional 26 00:01:38,773 --> 00:01:41,653 Speaker 2: deep cleans. It's not clear if the work's going to 27 00:01:41,653 --> 00:01:43,773 Speaker 2: be finished in time for term one next year, and 28 00:01:43,813 --> 00:01:46,773 Speaker 2: the cleanup is going to cost tens of thousands of dollars. 29 00:01:47,813 --> 00:01:52,013 Speaker 2: But as we were informed in a letter home this week, 30 00:01:52,173 --> 00:01:56,213 Speaker 2: surprise surprise, no one wants to pay for it. The 31 00:01:56,213 --> 00:01:59,253 Speaker 2: school's insurance won't cover it. The Ministry of Education won't 32 00:01:59,253 --> 00:02:02,493 Speaker 2: cover it. Kmart, which in the schools case, had sold 33 00:02:02,493 --> 00:02:07,093 Speaker 2: the dangerous product, has directed them to the manufacturer and China. 34 00:02:07,893 --> 00:02:10,253 Speaker 2: As it stands, the school is expecting to have to 35 00:02:10,293 --> 00:02:13,053 Speaker 2: cover the cost of the cleanup. Money that should have 36 00:02:13,173 --> 00:02:18,653 Speaker 2: been spent on educating children will not be repaid. How 37 00:02:18,773 --> 00:02:23,013 Speaker 2: many New Zealand schools and early learning centers face a 38 00:02:23,053 --> 00:02:26,853 Speaker 2: similar situation. Well, all we know is that as of yesterday, 39 00:02:27,253 --> 00:02:33,133 Speaker 2: nine schools or ecees had tested positive for asbestos. One 40 00:02:33,293 --> 00:02:36,413 Speaker 2: hundred and twenty nine was still waiting to confirm their 41 00:02:36,453 --> 00:02:39,173 Speaker 2: testing results. Although the Ministry of Education says, it's just 42 00:02:39,253 --> 00:02:42,333 Speaker 2: a voluntary reporting system at the moment, which honestly seems 43 00:02:42,333 --> 00:02:46,093 Speaker 2: inadequate to me. But the number theoretically could be higher. Right, 44 00:02:47,293 --> 00:02:49,093 Speaker 2: and think about it from the school's perspective, I mean, 45 00:02:49,133 --> 00:02:52,573 Speaker 2: you can hardly blame the schools for this situation. They 46 00:02:52,613 --> 00:02:57,413 Speaker 2: weren't negligent. It's not like they knowingly painted their classrooms 47 00:02:57,453 --> 00:03:01,093 Speaker 2: with lead paint or something stupid like that. They bought 48 00:03:01,253 --> 00:03:05,573 Speaker 2: a children's product that should have been ideal for creative 49 00:03:05,613 --> 00:03:11,613 Speaker 2: learning from reputable retailers with an entirely reasonable expectation that 50 00:03:11,813 --> 00:03:16,733 Speaker 2: it would be safe, And now that this has been discovered, 51 00:03:17,533 --> 00:03:21,373 Speaker 2: it's not like they can just ignore it. Right, schools 52 00:03:21,493 --> 00:03:24,573 Speaker 2: that are testing instead of just quietly getting rid of 53 00:03:24,573 --> 00:03:26,973 Speaker 2: the products, I mean, clearly they are doing the right thing, 54 00:03:27,573 --> 00:03:32,053 Speaker 2: even if the risk is super low. What parent would 55 00:03:32,093 --> 00:03:34,173 Speaker 2: allow their child to be taught in a classroom that 56 00:03:34,253 --> 00:03:39,733 Speaker 2: was testing positive for asbestos? What teacher would teach in it? 57 00:03:39,773 --> 00:03:43,173 Speaker 2: In my view, it would be a great injustice if 58 00:03:43,213 --> 00:03:46,053 Speaker 2: the schools that are doing the right thing and handling 59 00:03:46,093 --> 00:03:49,933 Speaker 2: this crisis ended up significantly out of pocket. I mean, 60 00:03:50,053 --> 00:03:57,173 Speaker 2: surely our consumer guarantee and product safety laws retailers can't 61 00:03:57,453 --> 00:04:01,453 Speaker 2: simply abdicate all responsibility and palm off the affected schools 62 00:04:01,493 --> 00:04:07,253 Speaker 2: to distant manufacturers, And even if legally they can, surely 63 00:04:07,293 --> 00:04:10,373 Speaker 2: there is a moral responsibility to do the right thing. 64 00:04:11,653 --> 00:04:14,453 Speaker 2: One obvious measure that I think would help the affected 65 00:04:14,493 --> 00:04:17,933 Speaker 2: schools is a collective legal effort so that they are 66 00:04:17,973 --> 00:04:21,813 Speaker 2: not all fighting for redress or for compensation and isolation. 67 00:04:22,373 --> 00:04:24,173 Speaker 2: It's the sort of thing you would reasonably expect the 68 00:04:24,173 --> 00:04:27,453 Speaker 2: Ministry of Education to help with in coordinating once the 69 00:04:27,493 --> 00:04:31,253 Speaker 2: test results are confirmed everywhere. I think at the moment 70 00:04:31,613 --> 00:04:35,053 Speaker 2: we're what three weeks in, There's no telling where this 71 00:04:35,253 --> 00:04:37,813 Speaker 2: whole thing is going to end up. But while at 72 00:04:37,893 --> 00:04:41,493 Speaker 2: least their classrooms will be safe, if schools end up 73 00:04:41,533 --> 00:04:44,653 Speaker 2: footing the bill for all of the testing, all of 74 00:04:44,693 --> 00:04:50,013 Speaker 2: the cleanup of a product they reasonably trusted, at the 75 00:04:50,093 --> 00:04:52,573 Speaker 2: end of the day, it'll be our kids who pay 76 00:04:52,613 --> 00:04:53,053 Speaker 2: the price. 77 00:04:53,933 --> 00:04:57,053 Speaker 1: For more from Saturday Morning with Jack Tame, Listen live 78 00:04:57,133 --> 00:05:00,293 Speaker 1: to News Talks' b from nine am Saturday, or follow 79 00:05:00,333 --> 00:05:01,933 Speaker 1: the podcast on iHeartRadio.