A Gold Coast judge has refused to stand aside from a case involving an alleged fake Russian doctor, after accusations of bias. Vincent Berg, a former Soviet political refugee who is facing more than 20 charges including grievous bodily harm and using forged qualifications to gain medical registration in Queensland, on Wednesday sought to have Judge David Kent QC removed from the case. In a pre-trial hearing, defence lawyers argued the judge could be perceived as being biased because he had previously sat on the Medical Board. But Judge Kent ruled that the charges against Berg dated back to 1999, about 15 years before he was on the board. He said the argument that he could be seen as not being impartial was “understandable” but rejected it and declined to recuse himself. Berg’s trial is set down for later this month.
July 13, 2017
A sch.3, item 15 (Application by agreement to terminate collective agreement-based transitional instrument) by Town and Country Community Options Limited T/A Town and Country Community Options for its Town and Country Community Options – Disability Support Workers Agreement 2007 has been granted.
July 13, 2017
Western Australia health service has experienced its second high-profile departure within months of a damning report calling for leadership change, with Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH) executive director Michelle Dillon resigning to “pursue other opportunities”. Ms Dillon’s resignation following on the heels of health chief Frank Daly’s exit last month and the release of a report revealing “genuine issues” with morale at the hospital. In the report, 90 per cent of the 200 staff interviewed said the hospital was a “very unhappy place to work” and about 10 per cent wanted to resign.
July 13, 2017
G4S Custodial Services Pty Ltd and the Health Services Union are debating a s.418 (Application for an order that industrial action by employees or employers stop etc.)
July 13, 2017
A woman was escorted from a long-term care home dining room by a security guard while her elderly mother, who suffers from dementia, watched in shock. Another was handed a notice under the Trespass To Property Act and told she could no longer stay in her severely disabled mother’s room while she was being cared for by staff. Both women are retired hospital nurses who say the long-term care home where their mothers live has been using no trespass notices and the threat of fines to limit their visits and punish them because they have complained about substandard care and dangerous hygiene practices.
July 13, 2017
A s.185 (Enterprise agreement) application by Boandik Lodge Incorporated for its Boandik Lodge Inc. Professional Health Practitioners Enterprise Agreement 2016 has been approved by Commissioner Lee in Melbourne on 12 July 2017.
July 13, 2017
Garrawarra Centre is a facility of last resort for many families and they’re crossing their fingers that it regains its accreditation. Many took to social media this week to defend the embattled Waterfall facility, after the release of a damning report by a federal government agency. The Australian Aged Care Quality Agency report revealed that Garrawarra met just 37 of 44 expected outcomes of the national accreditation standards. The report stated that the dementia-specific facility, run by NSW Health, was failing to provide a safe environment for residents who were frequently being assaulted by other patients. It stands to lose its approval as an aged care provider if it doesn’t meet all standards by November 27.
July 13, 2017
The City of Sydney RSL & Community Club Ltd will defend a s.394 (Application for unfair dismissal remedy) before Commissioner Cambridge in hearing room 12-1 -level 12 in Sydney at 10am (Balgowan).
