Was there friable or damaged asbestos present at any of 19 schools named by Newcastle MP Tim Crakanthorp, which included Newcastle East Public School.

The answer was also clear.

"As at 23 September, 2019 the Department is not aware of any friable asbestos at any of the above schools."

Mr Crakanthorp, and the school community, were entitled to believe the answer was based on fact. On Wednesday parents were told it was not.

Staff, students and cleaners have been potentially exposed to hazardous friable asbestos found on rafters inside the school's heritage building over the holidays during work to replace an asbestos roof.

Tests revealed library books that were in the building tested positive for asbestos and it is not known how long the asbestos material has been exposed to the environment.

As an outraged Mr Crakanthorp has pointed out, there are a lot of unknowns.

For a building with a long history of asbestos contamination, how diligent has the department been in ensuring children in particular have been protected, not to mention all staff, parents and the entire school community?

Why have parents only been advised on the first day of school? How extensive was any and testing and remediation of asbestos found on the site? Any more extensive than at schools where asbestos is not such an acknowledged issue? What happens now?

Mr Crakanthorp is right to say Minister Mitchell needs to come to the Hunter to speak to the school community at Newcastle East Public.

Parents have been told their children have potentially been exposed to friable asbestos, not to mention themselves. They have a right to feel fear, anger and a sense of betrayal.

When the minister and the department responded to Mr Crakanthorp's question in September, giving an assurance to Newcastle East Public School that there was no known friable asbestos at the school, they took on responsibility for the consequences of getting that response wrong.

Mr Crakanthorp was entitled to advice from the minister and the department when asbestos was found, given his previous questions in 2019, and earlier in 2017.

This is a big fail.

Issue: 39,516.