Dispute behind drama
THE company which owns Earle Haven retirement village has insisted its complex is still “very good” and blamed the aged care wing’s contractor for yesterday’s drama at the facility.
HelpStreet, a contracting company, took on the aged care wing in April 2018, for licenced nursing home firm People Care.
Miller Enterprises own an independent, unaffected living portion of the business.
People Care owner Arthur Miller said a dispute erupted between HelpStreet over staffing and People Care had given the nursing company until August 9 to vacate as part of the contract termination.
HelpStreet alleged they didn’t receive written confirmation they’d be paid for the final month of work and so informed staff they would not be paid, triggering the exodus.
HelpStreet had been contracted to run it up to 10 years.
Despite it leading to Gold Coast Health, paramedics and police to intervene yesterday, Mr Miller claimed “everything was under control”.
“There is nothing wrong with the retirement village, it is very good,” he said. “We had an agreement with the people who ran aged care and they had problems with employees.”
Mr Miller said People Care had agreed to pay employee wages for the final month.
Neither People Care or Miller Enterprises, companies attached to Earle Haven, are at risk of receivership.
“Earle Haven Retirement BRAZIL-born Arthur Miller bought the Earle Haven retirement and leisure resort in 2002 for $14.667 million. It came after he offloaded another property in Sydney for $2.7 million in 2001. Mr Miller’s purchase of the property comprised $12.602 million for the resort’s nonmedical care component and $2.065 million for the medical care facilities. It was sold as a four-stage retirement village. Mr Miller this week was revealed as the buyer of commercial building 169 Varsity Pde for $14 million.
has no debt, we have all the money for employees but there are a lot of things we have to take care of,” Mr Miller said.
“We told them they had up until August 9 to leave, they decided to leave earlier.”
A HelpStreet spokesperson said People Care “forced their hand” when they allegedly didn’t receive written confirmation they would be paid for the final month of work.
“If we couldn’t secure payment, we can’t continue to trade.
“There was a service notice yesterday for us to be removed on August 9th. (HelpStreet) raised some concerns it would be difficult to do in that time frame without disruptions.
“(HelpStreet) asked for written confirmation and they haven’t provided it,” the spokesperson alleged. “Unless we can guarantee the staff are going to be paid, I can’t ask the staff to continue working.”