Mark Townend heads to Spinal Life Australia after nearly 20 years as RSPCA Queensland boss. He’ll be taking over from acting boss Pauline Davis, who has had to warm the big seat since early March. She was a fill-in for previous Spinal Life CEO Michael Powell, who spent 3½ years in the job but had to step down after being declared personally bankrupt. The tax man sued Powell last November in Brisbane Federal Court and he was tipped into bankruptcy on March 6 for what Spinal Life described as “personal business dealings’’ prior to joining the charity. The upshot is that Townend will now be heading a second charity after problems emerged with his predecessor. Before he arrived at the RSPCA in 2000, it was led by Allen Callaghan, the controversial former press secretary for Premier Joh Bjelke-Petersen. Callaghan managed to raise a few eyebrows during his time at the RSPCA in the 1990s for questionable spending. That followed his two-year stint behind bars after pleading guilty to misappropriating $43,574 from the State Film Commission. During Townend’s tenure, the RSPCA shifted from dilapidated headquarters at Fairfield to a world-class facility at Wacol that includes a call centre for the entire east coast. He introduced a raft of innovative programs, including mobile education and desexing units, and promoted the development of animal tracking technology, which is now licensed for use overseas.
September 26, 2019
A 53-year-old Penrith woman will appear in court after allegedly stealing from multiple aged care residents in Springwood in August and September this year. Police have been told that sometime between August 9 and August 23, at around 11am, a woman approached a male resident, asking to use his bathroom. The 76-year-old man allowed access to his unit, within an independent living complex on Macquarie Road. A short time later, the woman left the villa and the man discovered that a small amount of cash was missing from his wallet, police said. About 4pm on Sunday, September 8, a woman knocked on the door of a unit within the same complex, asking to use a phone because her car had broken down. The woman stayed for about 30 minutes before leaving. Shortly after, the 92-year-old female owner of the unit discovered that an amount of cash was missing from her handbag, police said. Both incidents were reported to police on September 9. Blue Mountains Police officers attended the Macquarie Road independent living complex on Friday, September 20, in relation to a woman being on the premises and arrested a 53-year-old woman inside a unit. She was charged with two counts of steal property in dwelling – house and granted conditional bail to appear in Penrith Local Court on Thursday, October 17. Police will allege in court that the woman was known to spend time at the aged care complex and had told the residents that she has a history in nursing/aged care.
September 26, 2019
Samaritans Foundation is defending a s.394 (Application for unfair dismissal remedy) before Fair Work Deputy President Saunders (by telephone) in his NSW office today (McClymont).
September 26, 2019
The Commonwealth of Australia (represented by Services Australia T/A Department of Human Services) is locked in to a s.394 (Application for unfair dismissal remedy) before Fair Work Deputy President Masson in chambers in Melbourne (Weston).
September 26, 2019
A s.185 (Enterprise agreement) application from Healthe Care Australia Pty Ltd T/A Healthe Care for the Healthe Care (Victorian Hospitals) Support Services Enterprise Agreement 2019 has been ratified by Fair Work Commissioner Harper-Greenwell in Melbourne on 23 September 2019.
September 26, 2019
The Australian Municipal. Administrative, Clerical and Services Union and Latrobe Community Health Service Limited have a s.739 (Application to deal with a dispute) on foot in front of Commissioner Harper-Greenwell in chambers in Melbourne.
September 25, 2019
St Vincent’s Hospital (Melbourne) Limited has a s.739 (Application to deal with a dispute) to argue before Commissioner Yilmaz in Court 8 – Level 6 and Conference Room F – Level 6 in Melbourne (Gilbert).
September 25, 2019
An application for approval of the Back In Motion Health Group Hampstead Gardens Enterprise Agreement 2019 (s.185 – Application for approval of a single-enterprise agreement) will be determined by Commissioner Platt in chambers in Adelaide.
