A Tasmanian accountant who embezzled more than $2.3 million from a long-time Hobart client to splurge on a cocaine-fuelled Melbourne lifestyle has been jailed for eight years. Patrick Simon Mitchell, 42, formerly of Southbank in the Victorian capital, had pleaded guilty to 25 counts of stealing by misappropriation. In sentencing Mitchell to serve at least five years in prison, Justice Michael Brett said the crimes were made even more heinous by the high level of trust the victim had in the defendant. Justice Brett said the victim’s significant portfolio of assets included both an inheritance from her mother, as well as her own savings from her 40-year career as a nurse.
March 6, 2017
The boss of the Territory taxpayer-backed ambulance service draws a second income by renting a personal investment property to his own organisation. An investigation has revealed St John Ambulance NT rents a home from its CEO, Ross Coburn, in Darwin’s northern suburbs. Another senior St John staff member has also negotiated a similar arrangement, where they rent an investment property to their employer. St John refused to reveal how much it pays its staff in rent for the two houses, but rental data showed that Mr Coburn’s property in Tiwi was last publicly listed in 2008 for $450 per week. A spokeswoman for the organisation said St John arrangements were negotiated at arms-length on commercial terms and, despite being government funded, there was no obligation to tell the taxpayer where money was spent.
March 6, 2017
The Health Services Union and St John of God Health Care have a s.739 (Application to deal with a dispute) listed for hearing by Commissioner Wilson in Court 4 – Level 6 in Melbourne.
March 6, 2017
Department of Health officials have defended the outsourcing of major pieces of research and analysis that will flesh out the government’s current review of reforms and shape its future plans for the sector. Under questioning from Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Aged Care Labor’s Helen Polley at a Senate estimates hearing, health bureaucrats said the external consultants were commissioned to provide “expertise” not currently within the department and a fresh perspective on long-standing issues.
March 6, 2017
St Vincent’s Hospital Sydney Ltd is defending a s.394 (Application for unfair dismissal remedy) lodged by ex-staffer Grygiel.
March 6, 2017
A seniors housing operator will pay $30,660 to settle a disability discrimination lawsuit.
March 6, 2017
An application for approval of the Australian Aged Care Quality Agency Enterprise Agreement 2016-2019 (s.185 – Application for approval of a single-enterprise agreement) will be determined by Commissioner Lee in his Melbourne chambers.
March 6, 2017
The agency set up to improve online government services never worked on Centrelink’s automated debt recovery system, according to the digital office’s former chief executive. Paul Shetler, who resigned from the Digital Transformation Agency (DTA) in November, said the first his office heard of the debt recovery program was through media reporting.
