NEWS-HR

A former SA Health director who sent her children fake death threats and blood-stained clothing as part of an elaborate scam to get workers’ compensation has been re-sentenced to more than six years in jail. Tabitha Lean, 41, and her husband and SA Health colleague Simon Craig Peisley, 38, were found guilty of more than 40 deception charges late last year. Lean was the director of Aboriginal Health Service division when she and Peisley orchestrated a scam which involved sending their children, their children’s school and colleagues fake racist threats relating to work. They also sent packages of what appeared to be blood-stained children’s clothing which resulted in SA Health paying for stress leave, serviced apartments, interstate travel and medical appointments. The couple also received WorkCover payments and had been negotiating a compensation payout of $580,000 when their scam was uncovered. Peisley was jailed earlier this year but Lean was allowed to serve her sentence of six years and eight months on home detention so she could care for their children.

A tribunal has ruled that three children would be at great risk of harm and neglect if they were returned to their out-of-home carer employed by a Newcastle-based provider currently under the scrutiny of New South Wales Ombudsman’s office. The Civil and Administrative Tribunal heard Lifestyle Solutions removed the children from the carer in May. The carer is fighting the decision to remove the children and had a stay of proceedings application rejected today. The case management for the children was transferred from Family and Community Services (FACS) to Lifestyle Solutions in January 2014. The carer first had neglect allegations raised against them in 2015 but remained authorised with Lifestyle Solutions while court proceedings were ongoing.

Berry Street Victoria Inc is facing a s.394 (Application for unfair dismissal remedy) before Commissioner McKinnon in court 11 & conference room A – level 5 in Melbourne (Okiya).

A s.185 (Enterprise agreement) application by Maari Ma Health Aboriginal Corporation for its Maari Ma Health Aboriginal Corporation Enterprise Agreement 2017 has been stamped by Commissioner Johns in Sydney on 30 August 2017.

A bag of rubbish is at the centre of a legal stoush between a Far North hospital and a long-term employee. Doris Victoria Busuttil, who worked at Babinda Hospital for about 20 years, is suing for $463,300 in a negligence lawsuit over a back injury she claims occurred at work. Ms Busuttil was an operations officer. On the day she was injured, in April 2015, she had been taking rubbish from the kitchen to an industrial bin outside the hospital building. She is about 140cm tall and the edge of the bin sits above her head. According to documents filed in the Cairns District Court this month, the then-55 year-old was forced to lift the rubbish bag above her head to dispose of it in the bin. Ms Busuttil claims this resulted in an injury to her lower back. She has suffered a moderate lumbar spine injury resulting in increased back and leg pain and consequential restriction of movement and has been unable to return to work. Since the incident, Ms Busuttil claims she has racked up more than $100,000 in medical expenses and lost wages. She has a history of lower back pain while working at the hospital, which resulted in her taking time off in 2009. Ms Busuttil claims the hospital either knew or should have known the task involved a risk. The paperwork said if the hospital had delegated this task to others or and alternative system was available, the injury would not have occurred. Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service chief executive Clare Douglas said the hospital was unable to provide a statement as the Health Service has not yet been served with any court documents.

Ferngrove Pharmaceuticals Pty Ltd has failed to overturn an unfair dismissal claim by Chuan Wei Ji.

A s.185 (Enterprise agreement) application by Columbia Aged Care Group T/A Columbia Nursing Services Pty Ltd for its Columbia Aged Care Group, NSWNMA, ANMF NSW Branch and HSU New South Wales Branch Enterprise Agreement 2017 has been approved.

An application by Health Services Union (s.240 – Application to deal with a bargaining dispute) will be determined by Commissioner Lee in court 3 – level 6 in Melbourne at 2pm.