It's more than 20 years since Australia banned all forms of asbestos, but its deadly legacy still lingers in buildings across the country, as well as in the lungs of thousands exposed to the material.

But as Australia leads a global campaign to raise awareness, a new legal battle is unfolding on the nation's doorstep.

In Indonesia, activists who recently won a court ruling for mandatory labelling on asbestos products, are now being sued for defamation by a global industry lobby, which represents the world's biggest asbestos producers in countries such as Russia and China.

• Guest: Phillip Hazelton, Union Aid Abroad (APHEDA), the ACTU's international aid arm
• Producer: Anne Barker