Kelvin Thomson (Wills, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I wish to raise serious concerns on behalf of families and employees who are owed outstanding money and entitlements following the closure of the Brunswick Manor aged-care facility in my electorate.

When I was contacted by families concerning the issue of possible closure in early September, I made representations to the former government and I have since made representations to the incoming government. A report in today's Age by Nick Toscanostates that one resident's mother is owed more than $230,000 by the nursing home, an employee is owed more than $2,000 in wages and entitlements and that some 45 former employees at the West Brunswick facility are owed more than $200,000 in unpaid wages and entitlements.

The previous Labor government implemented safeguards for aged-care bonds for families as part of the Living Longer Living Better package, so if an aged-care service provider becomes insolvent or bankrupt the act guarantees residents and families will be refunded their accommodation bond balance.

Given this background and the work of the previous government, I urge the government to act quickly and decisively to assist families and employees who have been outrageously left high and dry by the Brunswick Manor director, Debra Lowe, and to use the powers at their disposal to assist these people as quickly as possible.