THE Mr Fluffy saga is a sad and sorry tale that’s a long way from being over.

Last week the Chief Minister announced that Mr Fluffy owners will be required to put a high-visibility tag inside their meter box to alert tradesmen to the potential danger.

It prompted another call from me on radio to publish a list of the affected houses and to end the speculation about which houses have Mr Fluffy but I was taken aback by a response I got.

Jason, not his real name, wrote from Kambah: “I am a Canberra Mr Fluffy house owner and feel compelled to express my views on what is happening to me and my family.

“People in the media like your good self have created hysteria about this whole affair that has resulted in the owners of these properties being cast as lepers in society with no course for redress.

“I was not even aware I lived in a fluffy house until a few months ago.

“I have already undertaken renovations over the last 10 or so years at now, seemingly, great risk to my family and those that worked with us. I feel terrible about that… I lay awake at night thinking what I have exposed my young family to.

“In addition, the Government is imposing other mandatory requirements for us to adhere to if people come anywhere near our houses to do work on them. Just for good measure why doesn’t Katy insist we report to the police every day to make sure we are all wearing our ‘Mr Fluffy Home Owners’ T-shirts just to make sure we are completely humiliated in society!”

His email hammered home the complexity of this problem and the effect it’s having on the lives of so many.

Jason’s house is the biggest asset he’s ever owned and he’s contemplating the prospect that it’s worthless through no fault of his own. We can’t let that happen. These people must be fairly compensated and it’s the Feds who are dragging the chain on it now.

I got another email from a local netball club looking for donations to help the family of one of its members who had also fallen victim to the Mr Fluffy saga and had to leave their home earlier this month.

Here’s some of what the email said:

“Asbestos fibres were found throughout their four wardrobes, linen press and heater intake. They literally walked out of their home with their two young girls aged 7 and 3-1/2 with only the clothes on their backs. They have lost everything.”

It shouldn’t be up to netball clubs to do this. All power to them, but where is the Federal government fixing what was a Federal government mistake?