A nurse accused of murdering two patients at a Ballina nursing home will face a trial lasting six to eight weeks in Lismore. Megan Jean Haines, 47, appeared in Sydney Supreme Court via video-link from Silverwater Women’s Correctional Centre. She is charged with killing Isobella Spencer, 77, and Marie Darragh, 82, by injecting them with fatal doses of insulin at the St Andrew’s Village nursing home in Ballina. Both women had advanced care directives against resuscitation and died in Ballina District Hospital after being found unconscious in their beds on May 10, 2014. Ms Haines was arrested almost a month later in Seaspray, Victoria, and extradited to New South Wales. NSW Supreme Court Justice Peter Johnson heard there would be “a lot of nurses and people called in relation to the management of the hospital” for the defence when the case finally went to trial. Ms Haines’s scheduled arraignment was postponed until May 6, before a trial beginning on October 10 in Lismore.
February 15, 2016
Public servants in the Federal Government’s biggest department have again emphatically rejected a wage deal. About 23,000 Department of Human Services workers voted, with 79.5 to 80.5 per cent voting to reject a wage deal that offered pay rises of 2 per cent, on average, over three years.
February 15, 2016
A nurse is accused of deliberately making her daughter ill by giving her repeated doses of mind-altering medication. The mother is under police investigation for allegedly administering anti-psychotic drugs to the young girl over two months.
February 15, 2016
An application for approval of the Sutherland Heart Clinic Enterprise Agreement 2015-2017 will be determined by Fair Work Commissioner Johns in Sydney.
February 15, 2016
Compass Group Australia Pty Ltd continues to battle headwinds and legal battles on both sides of the Tasman. Today it faces a s.372 dispute application from a staff member (Newman).
February 12, 2016
There are only a few days left for Sunshine Coast residents to apply for up to 44 registered nurse and aged care roles at IRT Group’s newest Community, IRT Woodlands at Meridan Plains. Construction of the seniors’ Lifestyle & Care Community is now complete and IRT Group is gearing up to open IRT Woodlands in April.
February 12, 2016
Case procedures – apprehension of bias – ss.400, 604 Fair Work Act 2009 – permission to appeal – Full Bench – unfair dismissal application referred to Deputy President for hearing and determination – after hearing concluded, appellant sent email to Deputy President’s chambers requesting Deputy President remove herself from deciding application on grounds of apprehended and actual bias – Deputy President issued two decisions – first declining appellant’s recusal application and second rejecting appellant’s unfair dismissal application – appellant appealed both decisions – in relation to first decision, Full Bench satisfied Deputy President dealt with application appropriately – acted consistently with practice that any application that a decision-maker should recuse himself or herself from hearing a matter on the ground of actual or apprehended bias is to be made and determined in the first instance by the decision-maker – no errors in making decision to dismiss application – not satisfied in public interest or any discretionary basis to grant permission to appeal – in relation to second decision, Full Bench not satisfied hearing conducted in a manner unfair to appellant – transcript indicated Deputy President went to considerable lengths to ensure appellant had a fair opportunity to present case – not in the public interest to grant permission to appeal – permission to appeal refused. Appeal by Woolston against decisions of Asbury DP of 26 November 2015 [[2015] FWC 5853] and [[2015] FWC 5993] Re: The Uniting Church in Australia Property Trust (Q.) t/a Blue Care Bli Bli Aged Care Facility.
February 12, 2016
Presbyterian Care Tasmania Inc has been presented with a s.739 (application to deal with a dispute) conundrum by a vexed staff member (Esam).
