NEWS-HR

Disability officials have denied they intentionally delayed handling complaints over alleged assaults at disabled group homes in Canberra. ACT Community Services director-general Natalie Howson said the assault accusations were investigated as soon as they were raised.

A man faces multiple police and regulatory charges after being accused of pretending to be a nurse in facilities across Australia. Nicholas William Crawford, 30, appeared in court on Thursday after Queensland police laid more than 110 police charges relating to his time at a facility at Aurukun earlier this year. He also faced three charges filed by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) involving a remote Cape York Indigenous community. The police matter was adjourned until September 2 and the AHPRA matter to December 10.

An application for approval of the LHI Retirement Services Nursing Staff (Aged Care) – Enterprise Agreement 2015 is before Fair Work Commissioner Hampton in Adelaide.

Queensland Nurses’ Union of Employees is appealing a Blue Care decision. The matter will be heard by the Full Bench of the Fair Work Commission.

Wattle Hill Lodge Inc is defending an unfair dismissal claim by an ex-employee (Quinn).

An application for approval of the Calvary Health Care ACT – Private Hospital, Health Professionals and Support Services Enterprise Agreement 2015 is before Fair Work Deputy President Kovacic in Melbourne.

The Federal Circuit Court of Australia has ruled that Terrigal Grosvenor Lodge (Erina) Pty Ltd (No. 2) did not dismiss Shane Buckley unfairly. The long running legal battle was centred on the issue of ‘general protection’. Buckley had alleged that his former employer, Terrigal Grosvenor Lodge (Erina) Pty Ltd had contravened s.340 of the FWA by taking “adverse action”. Buckley claimed to be exercising his workplace rights under the “Aged Care Complaints Scheme”, in accordance with the “Complaints Principles” created under s.94A-1 and s.96-1 of the Aged Care Act 1997.

Peninsula Health is again being challenged in the Fair Work Commission by an ex-employee (Robertson).