Noted Australian asbestos activist, Bernie Banton, succumbed to mesothelioma yesterday, at the age of 61. Mr. Banton died peacefully in his sleep early Tuesday morning, at his home in Australia, surrounded by his family. Banton had been diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma in August of this year. Prior to that he battled asbestosis. Both conditions were caused by his previous exposure to asbestos while an employee at a James Hardie plant during the 1960's and 70's.

Mr. Banton will most be remembered as a champion of the rights of asbestos victims. Over the years, Banton became a public figure, synonymous with the fight for compensation for victims of asbestos-related diseases, a battle he waged until his last breath. He won his own individual claim for asbestosis in 2000 and filed an unprecedented and much-publicized second claim against James Hardie after being diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma this year. That claim reached a settlement just recently, with Banton giving evidence from his hospital bed. Banton is most noted for his prominent role in forcing James Hardie to establish a second asbestos compensation trust after it was discovered in 2004 that the original Hardie trust was underfunded and would be depleted this year. He has also been recognized for his latest efforts as lobbyist, successfully petitioning for funding for an asbestos research institute and for government subsidization of the mesothelioma drug Alimta. Mr. Banton is survived by his wife Karen, five children and 11 grandchildren.