By Oliver Lees
The Australian Services Union (ASU) has declared its “serious concerns” with the impact Moorabool council’s withdrawal from the delivery of aged care services will have on the community, including its employees, who will be made redundant as a result of the change.
On March 3, Moorabool council finalised its decision to withdraw from the delivery of aged and disability care services.
The move was one that had been on the table for several months, following an in-principle agreement reached on December 2021.
Moorabool joined a growing list of councils who have opted to ditch delivery of the services, such as Hepburn and the Southern Grampians local government areas.
Moorabool mayor Tom Sullivan described council’s decision as necessary to ensure clients “continue to receive the same level of service they are currently receiving” following the findings of Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety, which will alter the framework of the service delivery.
ASU branch secretary Lisa Damanin told Star Weekly that often when these changes are made, it is in fact the employees and those receiving care who suffer the most.
“We’re concerned that this move will mean good permanent jobs get replaced with insecure casual work, on worse pay,” Ms Darmanin said.
“We’ve seen what happens when councils outsource this responsibility – high turnover, poorer quality services and uncertainty for clients.”
Ms Darmanin said the Moorabool community should be concerned by this transition, as it is “likely that future staff have lower qualification requirements and get less regular training and supervision”.
Moorabool council chief executive Derek Madden said his office had considered a range of factors, including the impact on staff in arriving at its decision.
“Council has met with all impacted staff, including one-on-one meetings where requested,” Mr Madden said.
“Since the commencement of the review of aged care services in Moorabool, staff have been provided with information and support including access to our employee assistance program if needed.”
