Imagine yourself in 1950s Australia. The population is growing, there’s a huge need for new and cheap houses and the building product that’s strong and fireproof and cheap and going in everywhere is asbestos sheeting. 

Asbestos is being mined, much of it in Western Australia – famously of course at Wittenoom and it’s being mixed into building and other materials at companies such as James Hardie. 

The story of asbestos in Australia is the subject of a new book of historical fiction called Where the Dust Settles which is written by Dr Duncan Graham SC who has been immersed in the world of asbestos litigation for much of his career. 

Dr Duncan Graham joins Nightlife.