THE BARYULGIL MINE: ASBESTOS AND ABORIGINALITY THE BARYULGIL MINE: ASBESTOS AND ABORIGINALITY

ABSTRACT This paper documents the history of corporate paternalism and the effects of asbestos mining on the indigenous community at Baryulgil in northern New South Wales. Despite the lack of profitability of the asbestos mine at Baryulgil, the operations continued for over 30 years leaving a legacy of asbestos-related issues. The transfer of social responsibility for indigenous human rights from the State to a corporate entity lacking appropriate accountability mechanisms is evidenced in this historical case study. The Baryulgil case is instructive in a number of ways: first it demonstrates the subtlety with which human rights abuses can occur in an environment where paternalistic attitudes towards indigenous peoples prevail; it demonstrates the clash between pursuit of corporate objectives and human rights; and finally it demonstrates that denial of corporate accountability in the asbestos industry