In the Queen's Birthday Honours of June 13, 2005, Bernie Banton was made a Member of the Order of Australia "for service to the community, particularly as an advocate for people affected by asbestos-related illnesses"
Bernie Banton also had a foundation named in his honor. The Bernie Banton Foundation was an Australian not-for-profit organization devoted to asbestos awareness and education, support and patient advocacy on behalf of asbestos-related disease sufferers, their carers and loved ones. The Foundation's aim was to be: "The voice of reason for Australian asbestos related disease sufferers, their carers and loved ones, allied health and care providers, and to the wider community." The foundation was launched by the Prime Minister, The Hon Kevin Rudd, on September 11, 2009 at Sydney's Concord Repatriation General Hospital.
On January 21, 2009, a new asbestos diseases research institute at Sydney's Concord Repatriation General Hospital was named the Bernie Banton Centre. The facility is the world's first standalone research facility dedicated to the treatment and prevention of asbestos-related diseases. The Bernie Banton Bridge, which carries Marsden Street over the Parramatta River in Parramatta also bears his name.
Devil's Dust (2012) is a two-part Australian television docu-drama mini-series on the ABC which first screened in 2012. Based on journalist Matt Peacock's 2009 book "Killer Company," Devil's Dust was researched and developed by producer Stephen Corvini for over two years prior to the series' production. Through the factual case of Bernie Banton, it recounts the tragedy of many Australian workers and their families afflicted with asbestosis and mesothelioma in the 20th-Century asbestos mining and processing industries. Though the extreme health risks of exposure to asbestos dust had been documented for many years, manufacturer James Hardie persisted in large-scale use of the material, aided by inadequate regulation by state health agencies.
EPILOGUE: "Matt Peacock continues to work as a journalist for the ABC highlighting asbestos issues at every opportunity. Karen Banton remains a tireless worker for victims of asbestos-related diseases, through the Bernie Banton Foundation. The Asbestos Diseases Foundation of Australia continues to provide support under the stewardship of Barry Robson and an army of determined volunteers. Peter MacDonald, Peter Shafron, Meredith Hellicar and others received lengthy bands for breaching the Corporations Act, preventing them from holding directorships in Australia. Despite his 23 years as chairman of James Hardy, John Reid has never been called to give evidence at any investigation or commission. People in almost every walk of life have died as a result of exposure to asbestos including some from James Hardy management. By 2030 the number of asbestos deaths in Australia is predicted to reach 60,000, equaling the number of Australians killed in the First World War."