00:00It's been a very quiet day or morning across all these schools in Canberra.
00:06This morning 69 of them closed, one of them behind me, Lyon and Primary School.
00:10No one, no students have been arriving here at school this morning.
00:14We did have the principal here ready to tell students to head home for the day if any arrived,
00:20but none did in the end.
00:24But certainly these schools have closed today, causing a lot of disruption around Canberra.
00:29Thousands and thousands of Canberran families suddenly incorporated into this closure of these schools.
00:36If you look at the numbers, it's about three quarters of all public schools in the Territory.
00:41So a significant decision for the ACT Government.
00:44Now that's come after a new recall that was issued for some coloured decorative sand over the weekend.
00:51Those products were sold at Kmart and Target.
00:54Now that was a different recall than what was issued earlier last week.
00:59That was for other decorative sand products.
01:01Now that initial recall prompted the closure of 16 schools in Canberra on Friday.
01:09But the government says that this new additional recall over the weekend,
01:13those products were more widely used in ACT public schools.
01:17And that's why so many more schools have been closed today.
01:21We've heard from the ACT Education Minister Yvette Berry this morning.
01:24Now she says that some of these closures might go for some days.
01:30Look at this stage, it could be several days.
01:32We're really hopeful that we'll be able to get across all our schools today to eliminate all of the sand that's been identified across all our schools.
01:42As soon as we have information, we'll make sure we let families know.
01:46Schools have different degrees of the sand being spread across the school environment.
01:51So once we have a better picture, we'll be able to let families know.
01:54Now we know that across ACT public schools today that are closed because of this decorative sand,
02:03there is visual inspections going on to determine exactly where the sand is located in the schools and how much sand there is.
02:10Then some licensed asbestos contractors need to come in with full protective clothing and masks
02:17and then make sure that the sand is removed safely, make sure the area is clean.
02:23We'll get a clearer picture later today, Gemma, exactly how many schools will be able to reopen tomorrow.
02:29And Monty, can you tell us a bit more about why we've seen such widespread action in the ACT that we haven't seen in other states?
02:36Well, that's right, Gemma. We know that the ACT has gone largely on its own in regards to school closures.
02:44We're certainly the only jurisdiction that's seen a significant number of schools closed.
02:49The Education Minister and the government says that's because of the ACT's really strong and robust work-safe laws here in the Territory.
03:01There's some really strong regulation when it comes to asbestos as well.
03:05And they say that they're enacting on that law.
03:08They're responding to that regulation.
03:10And as a result of that, they need to close these schools to safely remove the sand from these facilities.
03:17We know that there's also been a lot of concern from people in the community and also family members
03:22exactly what the risk is in regards to this asbestos-contaminated sand.
03:27We did hear from asbestos expert Anthony Linton a little earlier this morning.
03:32Here's what he had to say.
03:34We think actually the risks to any individual are going to be very, very low.
03:38The way that this is encapsulated within the sand, in normal use for how schools would have
03:44used this, the risk to any children is going to be very, very small.
03:48That's a similar sentiment that the ACT government is saying.
03:53They say that the risk is low, but they do have to take this measure to close these schools
03:59because they're following the rules and laws here in the ACT.
04:03When it comes to other jurisdictions and states around the country, we know these products
04:07have been sold at retailers right across the country.
04:11Retailers like Officeworks, Woolworths, and as I said, Kmart and Target.
04:15We know that these products have been in other schools and classrooms in other jurisdictions.
04:24In other states, they're either isolating those classrooms, so moving students to other areas
04:29of that school, or they are just safely removing them without having to close the school.
04:36So certainly the ACT having a lot more disruption here than in other states.
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