MP asks for answers on Lyndoch’s rejection of new members

South West MP Roma Britnell has asked for a “please explain” from Lyndoch Living over its mass rejection of membership applications.

Carol Altmann – The Terrier

South West MP Roma Britnell has asked Lyndoch for an explanation as to why every single membership application from 115 lodged this month was rejected.

“I’ve had contact from a number of people about this issue,” Ms Britnell said.

“I understand that Lyndoch, as a community established and owned service, holds a special place in the heart of the Warrnambool and south west community and I am aware of concerns that some people have raised.

“As such I have made contact with Lyndoch Living asking for advice on the application process and why applications may be rejected.”

Lyndoch is not always rapid in its responses to Ms Britnell, but we can only hope she receives a fulsome answer shortly.

Ms Britnell’s views are shared by other community leaders, including Member for Western Victoria Bev McArthur.

Ms McArthur said she was concerned that so many membership applications had been rejected and “would like to understand why this has happened”. 

“As a community organisation, openness and accessibility to residents should be a high priority,” she said.

“Many of the membership applicants were highly qualified and motivated, and could surely have brought great energy and expertise to Lyndoch.”

Ms McArthur said the current members of Lyndoch should be on the public record, and the criteria for the application process properly explained.

“The existing situation seems needlessly secretive, and does nothing to cement the vital community link.

“I call upon Lyndoch Living to live up to its position as a community asset, and be more open and engaging in matters of ordinary membership, board membership, and AGM participation.”

Wannon MP Dan Tehan was less direct, but said the Federal Government expected “approved providers to select board members with relevant skills and expertise” to ensure “quality of care for senior Australians is prioritised and maintained.”

A good point, Mr Tehan, because as is stands, there is nobody on the Lyndoch board with experience in aged care.

Mayor Vicki Jellie and four other Warrnambool City councillors responded to a request for comment, with each speaking personally rather than on behalf of the council.

Mayor Jellie said Lyndoch Living was a valued and much loved local community facility that was “extremely important to us all”.

“As a community member, I would like to see diversity in the membership of our local community organisations to support strong, effective leadership and oversight.

“I acknowledge and commend all of those within the community who put forward applications to become Lyndoch members.”

Cr Ben Blain said “it would be good to see some new local faces on the board that represent the community” –  a view also shared by Cr Debbie Arnott.

“Lyndoch is a community owned facility and its board and membership should reflect that…I do feel it might be good to see some new faces on the board,” Cr Arnott said.

Cr Angie Paspaliaris said she believed that any community owned organisation should “seek to be as transparent, engaged and communicative as possible with the community they are there to serve.”

“There are many experienced, extremely well qualified people in Warrnambool who would be great members and contributors to the operation of our local aged care facility,” Cr Paspaliaris said.

Lastly, Cr Max Taylor said it was only “logical and permissible” that people from the community be allowed to become members of Lyndoch, and – if they so desired – to nominate for the board.

“I am sure that one of the original Board Presidents for many years in Stan Berlyn would most certainly permit this process,” Cr Taylor said.

The next Lyndoch AGM is on 26 October. Board nominations close on 12 October, but given there are no new members (that we know of), I don’t know who will be nominating for the two board vacancies left by Percy Eccles and Susanne Coulson.

We shall see.See you Sunday.



Lyndoch rejects claim visiting workers were from Melbourne

Carol Altmann – The Terrier

Lyndoch Living has rejected claims that it permitted two, non-essential workers from Melbourne into its premises late last month.

Upper House South-West MP Bev McArthur questioned Lyndoch about concerns raised in late July that the two workers from Melbourne were allowed into the residential area of Swinton Wing, despite Melbourne being in lockdown.

In reply to Ms McArthur, Lyndoch Living CEO Doreen Power said that the two people were contractors and were not from Melbourne, or the other lockdown hotspot of Mitchell Shire.

Ms Power did not reveal the purpose of their visit, Ms McArthur said.

I stand by my original story that the two people involved were non-essential workers and that they had both travelled from Melbourne.

The definition of a non-essential worker for aged care at this time has been set by the state Dept of Health and Human Services*.

Upper House MP for South West Victoria Bev McArthur has questioned Lyndoch Living about workers visiting the site. Image: Australian Liberal Party.

Ms McArthur said the community’s extra concern around aged care facilities was understandable.

“The community’s heightened concern about care standards at this time is entirely appropriate, and I was happy to raise the matter with the Lyndoch Living CEO and with the organisation’s board members,” she said.

“In my view it is inconceivable that anything but the most essential visits could be permitted at this time.”

Lyndoch Living, like other aged care homes in south-west Victoria, has had a screening process in place for all visitors and workers, including a temperature check, evidence of a flu shot, and no sign of flu-like symptoms.

Anybody who had been in Melbourne in the 14 days prior to their visit was not allowed entry.

Lyndoch Living has since moved to full lockdown as of last Monday, due to the number of Covid-19 cases in the Warrnambool community.

Readers of The Terrier have been in contact again, however, to express concern at painters being permitted into the complex to put the final touches on the $11 million Swinton Wing extension.

Ms Power last week gave an interview to Denis Napthine on 3YB, during which she said the extension was due to have residents moving in by today (August 20).

I don’t know if that deadline has since changed.

A portion of the new rooftop garden at Lyndoch Living which is surrounded by frosted glass.

In the same interview, Ms Power said the new Swinton Wing was part of a plan to give every Lyndoch resident a view of the Hopkins River.

The top level of the extension, however, has a frosted glass balcony, which has again prompted comments and questions to this site from readers.

“I always say to people, ‘you know, I think I have got the best real estate in Warrnambool,'” Ms Power said during her 3YB interview.

I would have to dispute that.

Lyndoch Living, owned by the community, has “the best real estate in Warrnambool”, and we hope it is never for sale.

* Subject to some important conditions, staff can enter the facility only if they are:

  • an employee or contractor at that facility

  • providing goods or services to the facility that are necessary for its effective operation (either as a paid worker or volunteer)

  • providing health care, medical or pharmaceutical goods or services, behavioural support services or other support services to a resident (either as a paid worker or a volunteer)

  • providing treatment under a treatment plan to a resident of a disability residential service (either as a paid worker or volunteer) providing education services to the resident of a secure welfare service (either as a paid worker or volunteer).

 



Emails flying as factional brawl rolls on in Liberal branch

No love lost: Former Liberal MP for south west Victoria, Adam Kempton and current Liberal MP Roma Britnell, are caught in a factional brawl.

Carol Altmann – The Terrier
Meanwhile, over in sideshow alley, former south-west Liberal MP Adam Kempton has been suspended from his own party for conduct unbecoming, or whatever the party might call it, toward sitting south-west Liberal MP Roma Britnell.
Liberal v Liberal = ah, you gotta love politics.
Adam was apparently suspended after circulating an email that contained a less-than-flattering “gif” referring to Ms Britnell’s performance as an MP. Unfortunately the email was also – accidentally – sent to Roma.
 
Uh oh. (“Back button, back button! Argh!”)
 
Adam, (lawyer, barrister, Member for Warrnambool 1983-85) declined to comment, or to confirm it was indeed he who had been suspended, but said he may comment “sometime in the near future”.
 
The local Liberal Party has a thing going on with emails at the moment.
 
As was reported in the paper this week, a printed-out email, supposedly sent between Roma and her staffer, Jarrod Wooley, was posted to fellow Liberal MP Bev McArthur (Corangamite).
 
This email contained a low-grade “death threat” toward Bev and her staffer, Jennifer Lowe, so Bev decided it needed investigating by the police.
 
Roma decided it needed investigating by the police too, to clear her name.
 
Good grief, you couldn’t make this up.
 
So senior detectives –  no less – are out with magnifying glasses and DNA kits and god knows what else, trying to work out who sent what to whom, when and why.
They admit it is going to be hard to pin anything on anyone.
I am not surprised, because the whole thing sounds like a very bad episode of House of Cards.
Let’s face it, if you are going to be making threats against a Liberal colleague, it’s probably not best to a) be a sitting Liberal MP and b) put it in writing.
 
I am pretty sure the whole thing is a load of cooked up cods, because the back story to this whole saga is there is a section of the local Liberal branch who dislike Roma very much – she was not their choice to run for the seat when Denis Napthine retired – and would rather see her replaced by former WCC councillor Jennifer Lowe or maybe current mayor Tony Herbert.
Call me conspiratorial, but all of this fake-email-death-threat stuff rose to the surface in the very week that Roma calls on the Local Government Minister to launch an investigation into governance and spending at the Warrnambool City Council.

It is a very popular move. Roma is on a roll.

What surprises me most is that some of the names swirling around this saga are the very people who would – normally – welcome such an investigation with open arms.

And yet, if they know anything at all about this whole ridiculous email caper, they are trying to undermine the very person who could help make that investigation happen.

Work that one out.

In the meantime, I am yet to hear whether the fraud police will investigate the goings on at Warrnambool City Council over the use of a corporate credit card. Stay tuned.