NEWS-HR

A s.394 (unfair dismissal) application by Leeanne Mercer citing Clinical Laboratories Pty Ltd has been dismissed by Fair Work Deputy President Saunders in Newcastle on 7 March 2019.

The Victorian government has appointed former Justice secretary Penny Armytage as the chair of the Royal Commission into mental health.

A Geelong fraudster has been jailed after admitting she ripped off tens of thousands of dollars from Centrelink. For three years, Maria Alimic lied to the agency about her employment income, reaping more than $50,000 worth of disability support pension payments she was not entitled to receive. But the Geelong Magistrates’ Court yesterday heard that the 52-year-old will be forced to pay back only $5600 of the money she stole, largely due to a bureaucratic bungle. Alimic was jailed for six months after pleading guilty to four dishonesty offences. Magistrate Michael Coghlan said the Corio woman had made an “art form” of defrauding the Commonwealth. David Sagnelli, prosecuting for the Department of Human Services, said authorities became aware of Alimic’s deception after receiving a tip-off in December 2015.

A staff member at a Wellington retirement village is seriously injured after a car crashed through the building she was in, trapping her under debris. The woman has fractures to both her ankles as well as contusions on her face and leg after the car ploughed through the side of the building, crossing a hallway and ending in the laundry. The crash happened shortly before 1.30pm at Village at the Park in Berhampore. The driver, a member of the public who was visiting her husband at the retirement village, is believed to have suffered a medical event, during which she hit the accelerator instead of the brake. “The vehicle has actually gone through the outer wall and into our laundry,” communications manager Tristan Saunders said. The staff member was in the laundry at the time and was pinned under debris from the building. “It‘s a very unfortunate accident that‘s occurred,” Saunders said. The driver, who has no memory of the crash, was being treated for shock, and the staff member has been taken to hospital. The Serious Crash Unit will investigate the incident.

FMC Relationship Services has a s.394 (Application for unfair dismissal remedy) with which it must deal before Fair Work Commissioner McKinnon in his Melbourne chambers (Hanson).

An application for approval of the Ozcare Enterprise Agreement 2018 (s.185 – Application for approval of a single-enterprise agreement) will be determined by Fair Work Deputy President Mansini in Conference Room A in Brisbane today.

Civic Disability Services Limited has a s.394 (Application for unfair dismissal remedy) matter to be resolved before Deputy President Bill in his NSW chambers (Girgis).

Western Health is facing a s.739 (Application to deal with a dispute) at 4pm in front of Fair Work Commissioner Yilmaz in Court 11 and Conference Room A – Level 5 in Melbourne (Stoery).