James Hardie set up a compensation fund in Australia with inadequate resources and then moved its remaining assets offshore and out of reach of most of the victims of its asbestos products.

Chanting “Shame, James Hardie shame”, and “Bring the money back”, the protestors called on James Hardie and its shareholders to face up to its asbestos liabilities. Asbestosis sufferer Bernie Banton, told the protest in Sydney that “we’re here to let Hardies know we are not going away and we are going to fight until we get justice for victims and their families.”

Under pressure from the action being taken by unions and asbestos support groups, James Hardie chairwoman Meredith Hellicar was reported to say, today, that “where asked, we will compensate claimants” and that an extraordinary general meeting will be held to authorise extra funding.

USA: The Australian protests were continued in the U.S., later in the day, when a "spirited picket line and rally" was held at James Hardie's American headquarters in Mission Viejo, Orange County, California. "You can run, but you cannot hide" was the message of solidarity delivered to the company by the workers and unions protesting against the "lemon in Orange County".

Still to come: Today’s protests in Australia and the U.S. were the first of a series of global events taking place over the next week, each focused on James Hardie’s attempt to avoid its responsibilities to asbestos victims. Other events include:

• Protestors travelling to The Netherlands to attend James Hardie’s Annual General Meeting in Amsterdam on Friday, September 17, and

• the New South Wales (NSW) judicial inquiry reporting to the Government about its finding on James Hardie’s under-funded compensation foundation, expected on Tuesday, September 21.

To learn all about the Australian Make James Hardie Pay campaign, go to the campaign hub page from the associated link, above right.