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The Advertiser
4 days ago
- Lifestyle
- The Advertiser
'You can absolutely have it all': finding success in all areas with Jess Redfern
Jess Redfern is the proud owner of National Disability Council, which offers NDIS-funded respite and in-home support across NSW. Jess is the founder of Petal and Palm a bricks and mortar store in Wellington and online shop for homewares, artwork, fashion and gifts. What do you love about Wellington and the Central West? Love raising my family, with our parents and siblings just around the corner. I love the sense of community in Wellington and the powerhouse of women working to improve the "Wellington Narrative". We have a gorgeous park overlooking the river and so many new businesses opening their doors this year. Wellington is definitely worth a visit. What inspired you to start Petal and Palm? I love colour and decorating my home, I have never been one to save an outfit or "save the napkins" for a special occasion. I really believe in treating everyday as a party so I wanted to create a space for the community, especially the women in the community that focused on decorating each part of their lives. Petal and Palm is a "wonderland of decoration". How do you juggle motherhood, pregnancy, writing and running your own business? What's your secret? 1. Do something today your future self will be grateful for; I chant this to myself all day. This may mean simply filling the jug and boiling it so next time Bobby needs a bottle it is ready but it can also mean bigger tasks like setting up direct debits into my superannuation. 2. If it's going to take the same amount of time to write something on your to-do list as it is to just do it - then just do it. We have enough to do and there is no prize for being "busy". Sometimes I catch myself "making a plan to make a plan", so now if it can be done straight away, I just do it because chances are my future self won't want to or won't have time to either. Discipline is my biggest asset. 3. Choose exactly what you want your best life to look like and say "NO" to everything that isn't it. I decide who I want to be and what that version of my life would look and feel like and I make decisions based on what that version of me would do 4. You can absolutely have it all (if you want) but that doesn't mean you have to DO it all. I really believe this; I live by my three Ps; passion, purpose and profits. If it doesn't make me happy, I'm not good at it and it's not making me money I find a way to remove it from my life or outsource. What's something you're working on improving? Not feeling like I have to DO it all. I'm trying and definitely making some progress. As a new mum (Bobby is 10 months and my second babe coming in early September) I have had to really be kind to myself and accept I can't control each day, routine and balance don't exist and learning to be okay with that. What's the best advice you've ever received? Building a successful business isn't about greed, it is about the relentless pursuit of personal freedom. Central West Recommendations: Best business: Petal + Palm Best place to eat: Pellegrini's Italian Orange Best event to attend: Wellington Boot Race Day 14th April 2024 Hidden Gem: Cameron Park, Wellington Jess Redfern is the proud owner of National Disability Council, which offers NDIS-funded respite and in-home support across NSW. Jess is the founder of Petal and Palm a bricks and mortar store in Wellington and online shop for homewares, artwork, fashion and gifts. What do you love about Wellington and the Central West? Love raising my family, with our parents and siblings just around the corner. I love the sense of community in Wellington and the powerhouse of women working to improve the "Wellington Narrative". We have a gorgeous park overlooking the river and so many new businesses opening their doors this year. Wellington is definitely worth a visit. What inspired you to start Petal and Palm? I love colour and decorating my home, I have never been one to save an outfit or "save the napkins" for a special occasion. I really believe in treating everyday as a party so I wanted to create a space for the community, especially the women in the community that focused on decorating each part of their lives. Petal and Palm is a "wonderland of decoration". How do you juggle motherhood, pregnancy, writing and running your own business? What's your secret? 1. Do something today your future self will be grateful for; I chant this to myself all day. This may mean simply filling the jug and boiling it so next time Bobby needs a bottle it is ready but it can also mean bigger tasks like setting up direct debits into my superannuation. 2. If it's going to take the same amount of time to write something on your to-do list as it is to just do it - then just do it. We have enough to do and there is no prize for being "busy". Sometimes I catch myself "making a plan to make a plan", so now if it can be done straight away, I just do it because chances are my future self won't want to or won't have time to either. Discipline is my biggest asset. 3. Choose exactly what you want your best life to look like and say "NO" to everything that isn't it. I decide who I want to be and what that version of my life would look and feel like and I make decisions based on what that version of me would do 4. You can absolutely have it all (if you want) but that doesn't mean you have to DO it all. I really believe this; I live by my three Ps; passion, purpose and profits. If it doesn't make me happy, I'm not good at it and it's not making me money I find a way to remove it from my life or outsource. What's something you're working on improving? Not feeling like I have to DO it all. I'm trying and definitely making some progress. As a new mum (Bobby is 10 months and my second babe coming in early September) I have had to really be kind to myself and accept I can't control each day, routine and balance don't exist and learning to be okay with that. What's the best advice you've ever received? Building a successful business isn't about greed, it is about the relentless pursuit of personal freedom. Central West Recommendations: Best business: Petal + Palm Best place to eat: Pellegrini's Italian Orange Best event to attend: Wellington Boot Race Day 14th April 2024 Hidden Gem: Cameron Park, Wellington Jess Redfern is the proud owner of National Disability Council, which offers NDIS-funded respite and in-home support across NSW. Jess is the founder of Petal and Palm a bricks and mortar store in Wellington and online shop for homewares, artwork, fashion and gifts. What do you love about Wellington and the Central West? Love raising my family, with our parents and siblings just around the corner. I love the sense of community in Wellington and the powerhouse of women working to improve the "Wellington Narrative". We have a gorgeous park overlooking the river and so many new businesses opening their doors this year. Wellington is definitely worth a visit. What inspired you to start Petal and Palm? I love colour and decorating my home, I have never been one to save an outfit or "save the napkins" for a special occasion. I really believe in treating everyday as a party so I wanted to create a space for the community, especially the women in the community that focused on decorating each part of their lives. Petal and Palm is a "wonderland of decoration". How do you juggle motherhood, pregnancy, writing and running your own business? What's your secret? 1. Do something today your future self will be grateful for; I chant this to myself all day. This may mean simply filling the jug and boiling it so next time Bobby needs a bottle it is ready but it can also mean bigger tasks like setting up direct debits into my superannuation. 2. If it's going to take the same amount of time to write something on your to-do list as it is to just do it - then just do it. We have enough to do and there is no prize for being "busy". Sometimes I catch myself "making a plan to make a plan", so now if it can be done straight away, I just do it because chances are my future self won't want to or won't have time to either. Discipline is my biggest asset. 3. Choose exactly what you want your best life to look like and say "NO" to everything that isn't it. I decide who I want to be and what that version of my life would look and feel like and I make decisions based on what that version of me would do 4. You can absolutely have it all (if you want) but that doesn't mean you have to DO it all. I really believe this; I live by my three Ps; passion, purpose and profits. If it doesn't make me happy, I'm not good at it and it's not making me money I find a way to remove it from my life or outsource. What's something you're working on improving? Not feeling like I have to DO it all. I'm trying and definitely making some progress. As a new mum (Bobby is 10 months and my second babe coming in early September) I have had to really be kind to myself and accept I can't control each day, routine and balance don't exist and learning to be okay with that. What's the best advice you've ever received? Building a successful business isn't about greed, it is about the relentless pursuit of personal freedom. Central West Recommendations: Best business: Petal + Palm Best place to eat: Pellegrini's Italian Orange Best event to attend: Wellington Boot Race Day 14th April 2024 Hidden Gem: Cameron Park, Wellington Jess Redfern is the proud owner of National Disability Council, which offers NDIS-funded respite and in-home support across NSW. Jess is the founder of Petal and Palm a bricks and mortar store in Wellington and online shop for homewares, artwork, fashion and gifts. What do you love about Wellington and the Central West? Love raising my family, with our parents and siblings just around the corner. I love the sense of community in Wellington and the powerhouse of women working to improve the "Wellington Narrative". We have a gorgeous park overlooking the river and so many new businesses opening their doors this year. Wellington is definitely worth a visit. What inspired you to start Petal and Palm? I love colour and decorating my home, I have never been one to save an outfit or "save the napkins" for a special occasion. I really believe in treating everyday as a party so I wanted to create a space for the community, especially the women in the community that focused on decorating each part of their lives. Petal and Palm is a "wonderland of decoration". How do you juggle motherhood, pregnancy, writing and running your own business? What's your secret? 1. Do something today your future self will be grateful for; I chant this to myself all day. This may mean simply filling the jug and boiling it so next time Bobby needs a bottle it is ready but it can also mean bigger tasks like setting up direct debits into my superannuation. 2. If it's going to take the same amount of time to write something on your to-do list as it is to just do it - then just do it. We have enough to do and there is no prize for being "busy". Sometimes I catch myself "making a plan to make a plan", so now if it can be done straight away, I just do it because chances are my future self won't want to or won't have time to either. Discipline is my biggest asset. 3. Choose exactly what you want your best life to look like and say "NO" to everything that isn't it. I decide who I want to be and what that version of my life would look and feel like and I make decisions based on what that version of me would do 4. You can absolutely have it all (if you want) but that doesn't mean you have to DO it all. I really believe this; I live by my three Ps; passion, purpose and profits. If it doesn't make me happy, I'm not good at it and it's not making me money I find a way to remove it from my life or outsource. What's something you're working on improving? Not feeling like I have to DO it all. I'm trying and definitely making some progress. As a new mum (Bobby is 10 months and my second babe coming in early September) I have had to really be kind to myself and accept I can't control each day, routine and balance don't exist and learning to be okay with that. What's the best advice you've ever received? Building a successful business isn't about greed, it is about the relentless pursuit of personal freedom. Central West Recommendations: Best business: Petal + Palm Best place to eat: Pellegrini's Italian Orange Best event to attend: Wellington Boot Race Day 14th April 2024 Hidden Gem: Cameron Park, Wellington
West Australian
02-07-2025
- General
- West Australian
Surfing sessions empower neurodiverse kids in Broome
For many families, a trip to the beach is a cherished pastime. For others, it can feel out of reach, especially when navigating the challenges of neurodiversity. That's where Ocean Heroes steps in, the not-for-profit organisation is once again bringing the joy of surfing to the shores of Broome this August, with two weekends of free events at iconic Cable Beach. Founded in 2016, Ocean Heroes has offered more than 10,000 individuals across Australia the opportunity to experience the thrill of riding a wave in a safe, inclusive, and supportive environment. With a focus on supporting people on the autism spectrum and their families, the organisation pairs participants with experienced volunteers and provides all the necessary gear, from surfboards to life jackets. WA Free event co-ordinator at Ocean Heroes Xander De Haan thanked the Broome community for its support in growing the organisation. 'Seeing the program's growth over the last five years has been incredible, from participants and families, to local volunteers and sponsors, the support we've received from the community is incredible,' said Mr De Haan. 'This only motivates us to provide more for the neurodiverse community. We're ambitious in our goals and we couldn't do it without the support from our key Broome partners, Telethon 7 and Bundu NFP.' For families like one Broome mum, who has two children with ASD (autistic spectrum disorders) and ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder), the impact of these events goes far beyond just a day at the beach. 'Having two children with ASD and ADHD, and occasional care of others as well, our home dynamics can sometimes be tricky,' she said. 'But on a day that has been a bit tricky, an Ocean Heroes event has the ability to completely change the course of the day. 'Both kids can go from complete shutdown to smiling and laughing and sharing a surfboard together to catch a wave in, all the while supported by the friendly volunteers.' This year m a rks a milestone for Ocean Heroes in Broome with the launch of its Surf Experience Program, a new, NDIS-funded initiative offering regular one-on-one surf sessions in a group setting. Already running in Perth and Geraldton, the program aims to provide consistent access to ocean-based activities tailored to individual needs. The recent collaboration with the Broome Surf Life Saving Club's Talent Pool program also underscored the power of community. Local lifesavers were connected with participants during the first round of events in June, creating what Ocean Heroes called 'a real feel-good community moment'. Spots for the August sessions are limited, and families are encouraged to follow Ocean Heroes on social media for announcements and registration details. Volunteers are also welcome, no surfing experience required, just a passion for inclusion and a willingness to make waves of change. Go to to volunteer or get involved.
7NEWS
24-06-2025
- Health
- 7NEWS
Australians with disability urge the federal government to stop cuts to vital health services amid NDIS overhaul
Thousands of Australians with disability are calling on the federal government to urgently reverse funding changes that could slash access to vital health services. Physiotherapists, psychologists, podiatrists and other professionals warn the cuts will threaten independence, dignity and even safety for many NDIS participants. Among those affected is 55-year-old Megan Fitzgerald, who lives with cerebral palsy. For years, she has relied on weekly visits from a physiotherapist to maintain her independence. 'I'm wanting to keep myself as independent and fit as possible and keep my body moving, and it's not happening,' Fitzgerald told 7NEWS. Funding cuts have meant she has to make her own way to centres and it's already impacted her mobility. 'I found my body getting stiffer, not having the regular movements, not being able to move,' she said. But Megan Fitzgerald is not alone. Taylor Lahoud, 29, who has a newborn at home, cares for his mother, Rosanna, who suffered brain damage after being hit by a car decades ago. He says therapy changed her life. But when services began to be cut, her health deteriorated. 'It definitely was helping when we were coming here and they were coming to the home more often. It made a big difference. Mum was actually able to walk a lot more ... now she's pretty much in the wheelchair 99 per cent of the time,' Lahoud told 7NEWS. 'You've got some people out there with all this funding and other people without it. It's so inconsistent, it's like a slap to the face. 'This is a program that's meant to help people but it's so skewed and it's just so backwards. It does not feel like there was any thinking or planning to anything that's going on.' Four-year-old Primrose Peach also benefits greatly from NDIS-funded services. Primrose has a rare genetic condition that currently prevents her from walking or talking. She receives intensive therapy to help with speech and mobility. Mum Tahlia said further cuts to the sector will have severe consequences. 'Primrose is so close to walking, but without these services, she probably won't be walking for years ... services like this are integral to her development,' she said. From next week, NDIS funding will be reduced across the board. Hourly rates for allied health professionals including physiotherapy, dietitians, speech pathology, occupational therapy and psychology will be cut by up to $10. Travel expense reimbursements will be slashed by 50 per cent and a seven-year freeze on pricing adjustments will remain in place. Physiotherapist Melissa McConaghy said the changes will decimate an already distressed market. 'At the end of the day, it will be the participants that lose out,' she said. However, the federal government insists the cuts are necessary. Health Minister Mark Butler said: 'We want to make sure that NDIS participants are not paying above the odds for therapy and for their support. We want to make sure that taxpayers are getting value for money.' But experts argue that the short-term savings will ultimately lead to greater costs, as vulnerable Australians who lose access to support services will likely end up in hospital-further straining the healthcare system. 'Physiotherapists can be life-saving. We keep people independent, we keep them mobile and we keep people out of hospital. We are already seeing cuts in the market that is leading to hospitalisations for chest infections, for pressure sores, for falls. We are just going to see so much more of this down the track,' Melissa McConaghy told 7NEWS. Paediatric therapist Louise Conn said it was really important to have an increased level of early intervention, to prevent further issues down the track. 'It's going to make a huge difference in terms of access to families to all sorts of programs like this and particularly for any allied health, particularly occupational therapists and speech pathologists who go out into the community and see families in their home settings, in school settings and beyond,' Conn said. 'This is going to make a huge, huge difference to what we're able to provide to these families.' In just over a week, more than 50,000 Australians have signed a petition urging the federal government to halt the changes — and consult meaningfully with the sector. Advocates are now calling for an immediate review — before people with disability are left without the essential support they rely on.
The Advertiser
17-05-2025
- The Advertiser
Under review: spotlight on SPL's management of vulnerable people in sublet properties
INDUSTRY insiders say illegal boarding house operator Sanctuary Place Living is running homes that flout laws against restrictive practices involving people with disability and fall short of requirements for parolees. While the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission is continuing its investigation into SPL, Corrective Services NSW has announced it is also reviewing the organisation and its suitability to provide accommodation to parolees. Sanctuary Place Living, or SPL, run by Michael Mason and his partner Jacqui Whiteford, lease properties throughout the Hunter which they sub-let to NDIS participants, parolees, and people on workers compensation, disability pensions and unemployment benefits. Their occupancy agreements include rules against "unauthorised" guests entering their rentals, including disability support workers who in many cases are NDIS-funded to work with people in their homes. To deny their entry is in breach of laws designed to ensure people with disability are treated with respect and dignity, and have choice and control over how, who and when their supports are delivered, disability service providers say. "This is a restrictive practice, when they cannot access supports in the home, if they are funded to receive that," said one Hunter-based support coordinator. Having worked with numerous people who live, or have lived, in SPL-managed homes, the woman said she was disgusted with the way the organisation treated some tenants. "The fee structure, the agreement that leaves them with no rights ... they can be moved at any time of day, with a text message, from nobody, just signed SPL, and they have to pack up and they're moved," she said. "They get no say in it, they are thrown together, there is no matching that takes place." This week several residents were forced to move from an SPL-managed property at Rutherford to which police were called on Monday when SPL staff turned up unannounced, demanding access to the property to retrieve furniture. The residents had been given less than one business day's notice that they were being relocated. The week before that, SPL moved 20 people out of homes in Elemore Vale. They were given five days notice but SPL staff turned up without notice with a removalist truck two days early, at 6am on a Monday (May 5), the Herald was told. A number of other SPL-leased and managed properties have been vacated in the past two months. Multiple property owners who have leased houses to SPL have said the organisation was regularly behind on rent and bills, and did not cooperate with reasonable requests to conduct routine house inspections. In contrast, SPL demands the right to carry out inspections at will, whether or not people are at home, including opening fridges and cupboards and going through personal belongings, sources say. "They just come in whenever they want to, whenever they wish," said one community support worker who did not wish to be named to protect her clients' identities. "They don't give them any warning. They turn their cars off and, when they get to the start of the driveway, they roll it down silently to sneak up on these people and give them no warning. "And they open the doors really quietly and go through their bedrooms. It doesn't matter if they're in there, it doesn't matter what they're doing. They let themselves in and they go through all their stuff." Some residents have had bedbugs in the mattresses they are provided with but are too scared to speak up for fear of being evicted or sent to the Alma Mater, she said. "Because that's what they've done to other residents living in their other homes that have had bedbugs," she said. "And at the Alma Mater .... the rooms are smaller than a jail cell. "We hear that they're being investigated .... Yet, these vulnerable people are still being taken advantage of. And no one's standing up for them. How can we stay silent?" In some houses where people pay between $335 and $370 or more per week for a room, some with an ensuite, SPL is set to make double the rent they are paying to property owners through their sub-lease arrangements, as well as in some cases also claiming a portion of tenants' NDIS-funded supports. In a statement to the Newcastle Herald, SPL said it did not engage in any unlawful restrictive practices. It denied it was running an illegal boarding house at Mayfield, the Alma Mater, and it denied robbing residents of rights under the Residential Tenancy Act. "Moreover, where appropriate, the circumstances of SPL's tenancy agreements have been determined by the NSW Civil Administrative Tribunal to not constitute residential tenancy agreements," the statement said. "Moreover, no parolee has been moved from any residence without sufficient notice except in extreme circumstances where serious crimes have been committed or threatened, such as episodes of violence against other occupants." The City of Newcastle has confirmed SPL did not seek approval to run a boarding house at 88 Hanbury Street, Mayfield, a building now named 'Alma Mater', when it opened two months ago. Corrective Services NSW said following recent concerning reports about the operating practices of SPL, it is "reviewing its suitability as a place of accommodation for parolees". The NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission has also confirmed it is investigating concerns raised about SPL but is "unable to comment further". "Participants have the right to fair treatment, transparency, and quality services under the NDIS," a commission spokesperson said. "The NDIS Commission strongly encourages participants, their families, and advocates to report any concerns regarding unethical provider behaviour." INDUSTRY insiders say illegal boarding house operator Sanctuary Place Living is running homes that flout laws against restrictive practices involving people with disability and fall short of requirements for parolees. While the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission is continuing its investigation into SPL, Corrective Services NSW has announced it is also reviewing the organisation and its suitability to provide accommodation to parolees. Sanctuary Place Living, or SPL, run by Michael Mason and his partner Jacqui Whiteford, lease properties throughout the Hunter which they sub-let to NDIS participants, parolees, and people on workers compensation, disability pensions and unemployment benefits. Their occupancy agreements include rules against "unauthorised" guests entering their rentals, including disability support workers who in many cases are NDIS-funded to work with people in their homes. To deny their entry is in breach of laws designed to ensure people with disability are treated with respect and dignity, and have choice and control over how, who and when their supports are delivered, disability service providers say. "This is a restrictive practice, when they cannot access supports in the home, if they are funded to receive that," said one Hunter-based support coordinator. Having worked with numerous people who live, or have lived, in SPL-managed homes, the woman said she was disgusted with the way the organisation treated some tenants. "The fee structure, the agreement that leaves them with no rights ... they can be moved at any time of day, with a text message, from nobody, just signed SPL, and they have to pack up and they're moved," she said. "They get no say in it, they are thrown together, there is no matching that takes place." This week several residents were forced to move from an SPL-managed property at Rutherford to which police were called on Monday when SPL staff turned up unannounced, demanding access to the property to retrieve furniture. The residents had been given less than one business day's notice that they were being relocated. The week before that, SPL moved 20 people out of homes in Elemore Vale. They were given five days notice but SPL staff turned up without notice with a removalist truck two days early, at 6am on a Monday (May 5), the Herald was told. A number of other SPL-leased and managed properties have been vacated in the past two months. Multiple property owners who have leased houses to SPL have said the organisation was regularly behind on rent and bills, and did not cooperate with reasonable requests to conduct routine house inspections. In contrast, SPL demands the right to carry out inspections at will, whether or not people are at home, including opening fridges and cupboards and going through personal belongings, sources say. "They just come in whenever they want to, whenever they wish," said one community support worker who did not wish to be named to protect her clients' identities. "They don't give them any warning. They turn their cars off and, when they get to the start of the driveway, they roll it down silently to sneak up on these people and give them no warning. "And they open the doors really quietly and go through their bedrooms. It doesn't matter if they're in there, it doesn't matter what they're doing. They let themselves in and they go through all their stuff." Some residents have had bedbugs in the mattresses they are provided with but are too scared to speak up for fear of being evicted or sent to the Alma Mater, she said. "Because that's what they've done to other residents living in their other homes that have had bedbugs," she said. "And at the Alma Mater .... the rooms are smaller than a jail cell. "We hear that they're being investigated .... Yet, these vulnerable people are still being taken advantage of. And no one's standing up for them. How can we stay silent?" In some houses where people pay between $335 and $370 or more per week for a room, some with an ensuite, SPL is set to make double the rent they are paying to property owners through their sub-lease arrangements, as well as in some cases also claiming a portion of tenants' NDIS-funded supports. In a statement to the Newcastle Herald, SPL said it did not engage in any unlawful restrictive practices. It denied it was running an illegal boarding house at Mayfield, the Alma Mater, and it denied robbing residents of rights under the Residential Tenancy Act. "Moreover, where appropriate, the circumstances of SPL's tenancy agreements have been determined by the NSW Civil Administrative Tribunal to not constitute residential tenancy agreements," the statement said. "Moreover, no parolee has been moved from any residence without sufficient notice except in extreme circumstances where serious crimes have been committed or threatened, such as episodes of violence against other occupants." The City of Newcastle has confirmed SPL did not seek approval to run a boarding house at 88 Hanbury Street, Mayfield, a building now named 'Alma Mater', when it opened two months ago. Corrective Services NSW said following recent concerning reports about the operating practices of SPL, it is "reviewing its suitability as a place of accommodation for parolees". The NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission has also confirmed it is investigating concerns raised about SPL but is "unable to comment further". "Participants have the right to fair treatment, transparency, and quality services under the NDIS," a commission spokesperson said. "The NDIS Commission strongly encourages participants, their families, and advocates to report any concerns regarding unethical provider behaviour." INDUSTRY insiders say illegal boarding house operator Sanctuary Place Living is running homes that flout laws against restrictive practices involving people with disability and fall short of requirements for parolees. While the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission is continuing its investigation into SPL, Corrective Services NSW has announced it is also reviewing the organisation and its suitability to provide accommodation to parolees. Sanctuary Place Living, or SPL, run by Michael Mason and his partner Jacqui Whiteford, lease properties throughout the Hunter which they sub-let to NDIS participants, parolees, and people on workers compensation, disability pensions and unemployment benefits. Their occupancy agreements include rules against "unauthorised" guests entering their rentals, including disability support workers who in many cases are NDIS-funded to work with people in their homes. To deny their entry is in breach of laws designed to ensure people with disability are treated with respect and dignity, and have choice and control over how, who and when their supports are delivered, disability service providers say. "This is a restrictive practice, when they cannot access supports in the home, if they are funded to receive that," said one Hunter-based support coordinator. Having worked with numerous people who live, or have lived, in SPL-managed homes, the woman said she was disgusted with the way the organisation treated some tenants. "The fee structure, the agreement that leaves them with no rights ... they can be moved at any time of day, with a text message, from nobody, just signed SPL, and they have to pack up and they're moved," she said. "They get no say in it, they are thrown together, there is no matching that takes place." This week several residents were forced to move from an SPL-managed property at Rutherford to which police were called on Monday when SPL staff turned up unannounced, demanding access to the property to retrieve furniture. The residents had been given less than one business day's notice that they were being relocated. The week before that, SPL moved 20 people out of homes in Elemore Vale. They were given five days notice but SPL staff turned up without notice with a removalist truck two days early, at 6am on a Monday (May 5), the Herald was told. A number of other SPL-leased and managed properties have been vacated in the past two months. Multiple property owners who have leased houses to SPL have said the organisation was regularly behind on rent and bills, and did not cooperate with reasonable requests to conduct routine house inspections. In contrast, SPL demands the right to carry out inspections at will, whether or not people are at home, including opening fridges and cupboards and going through personal belongings, sources say. "They just come in whenever they want to, whenever they wish," said one community support worker who did not wish to be named to protect her clients' identities. "They don't give them any warning. They turn their cars off and, when they get to the start of the driveway, they roll it down silently to sneak up on these people and give them no warning. "And they open the doors really quietly and go through their bedrooms. It doesn't matter if they're in there, it doesn't matter what they're doing. They let themselves in and they go through all their stuff." Some residents have had bedbugs in the mattresses they are provided with but are too scared to speak up for fear of being evicted or sent to the Alma Mater, she said. "Because that's what they've done to other residents living in their other homes that have had bedbugs," she said. "And at the Alma Mater .... the rooms are smaller than a jail cell. "We hear that they're being investigated .... Yet, these vulnerable people are still being taken advantage of. And no one's standing up for them. How can we stay silent?" In some houses where people pay between $335 and $370 or more per week for a room, some with an ensuite, SPL is set to make double the rent they are paying to property owners through their sub-lease arrangements, as well as in some cases also claiming a portion of tenants' NDIS-funded supports. In a statement to the Newcastle Herald, SPL said it did not engage in any unlawful restrictive practices. It denied it was running an illegal boarding house at Mayfield, the Alma Mater, and it denied robbing residents of rights under the Residential Tenancy Act. "Moreover, where appropriate, the circumstances of SPL's tenancy agreements have been determined by the NSW Civil Administrative Tribunal to not constitute residential tenancy agreements," the statement said. "Moreover, no parolee has been moved from any residence without sufficient notice except in extreme circumstances where serious crimes have been committed or threatened, such as episodes of violence against other occupants." The City of Newcastle has confirmed SPL did not seek approval to run a boarding house at 88 Hanbury Street, Mayfield, a building now named 'Alma Mater', when it opened two months ago. Corrective Services NSW said following recent concerning reports about the operating practices of SPL, it is "reviewing its suitability as a place of accommodation for parolees". The NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission has also confirmed it is investigating concerns raised about SPL but is "unable to comment further". "Participants have the right to fair treatment, transparency, and quality services under the NDIS," a commission spokesperson said. "The NDIS Commission strongly encourages participants, their families, and advocates to report any concerns regarding unethical provider behaviour." INDUSTRY insiders say illegal boarding house operator Sanctuary Place Living is running homes that flout laws against restrictive practices involving people with disability and fall short of requirements for parolees. While the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission is continuing its investigation into SPL, Corrective Services NSW has announced it is also reviewing the organisation and its suitability to provide accommodation to parolees. Sanctuary Place Living, or SPL, run by Michael Mason and his partner Jacqui Whiteford, lease properties throughout the Hunter which they sub-let to NDIS participants, parolees, and people on workers compensation, disability pensions and unemployment benefits. Their occupancy agreements include rules against "unauthorised" guests entering their rentals, including disability support workers who in many cases are NDIS-funded to work with people in their homes. To deny their entry is in breach of laws designed to ensure people with disability are treated with respect and dignity, and have choice and control over how, who and when their supports are delivered, disability service providers say. "This is a restrictive practice, when they cannot access supports in the home, if they are funded to receive that," said one Hunter-based support coordinator. Having worked with numerous people who live, or have lived, in SPL-managed homes, the woman said she was disgusted with the way the organisation treated some tenants. "The fee structure, the agreement that leaves them with no rights ... they can be moved at any time of day, with a text message, from nobody, just signed SPL, and they have to pack up and they're moved," she said. "They get no say in it, they are thrown together, there is no matching that takes place." This week several residents were forced to move from an SPL-managed property at Rutherford to which police were called on Monday when SPL staff turned up unannounced, demanding access to the property to retrieve furniture. The residents had been given less than one business day's notice that they were being relocated. The week before that, SPL moved 20 people out of homes in Elemore Vale. They were given five days notice but SPL staff turned up without notice with a removalist truck two days early, at 6am on a Monday (May 5), the Herald was told. A number of other SPL-leased and managed properties have been vacated in the past two months. Multiple property owners who have leased houses to SPL have said the organisation was regularly behind on rent and bills, and did not cooperate with reasonable requests to conduct routine house inspections. In contrast, SPL demands the right to carry out inspections at will, whether or not people are at home, including opening fridges and cupboards and going through personal belongings, sources say. "They just come in whenever they want to, whenever they wish," said one community support worker who did not wish to be named to protect her clients' identities. "They don't give them any warning. They turn their cars off and, when they get to the start of the driveway, they roll it down silently to sneak up on these people and give them no warning. "And they open the doors really quietly and go through their bedrooms. It doesn't matter if they're in there, it doesn't matter what they're doing. They let themselves in and they go through all their stuff." Some residents have had bedbugs in the mattresses they are provided with but are too scared to speak up for fear of being evicted or sent to the Alma Mater, she said. "Because that's what they've done to other residents living in their other homes that have had bedbugs," she said. "And at the Alma Mater .... the rooms are smaller than a jail cell. "We hear that they're being investigated .... Yet, these vulnerable people are still being taken advantage of. And no one's standing up for them. How can we stay silent?" In some houses where people pay between $335 and $370 or more per week for a room, some with an ensuite, SPL is set to make double the rent they are paying to property owners through their sub-lease arrangements, as well as in some cases also claiming a portion of tenants' NDIS-funded supports. In a statement to the Newcastle Herald, SPL said it did not engage in any unlawful restrictive practices. It denied it was running an illegal boarding house at Mayfield, the Alma Mater, and it denied robbing residents of rights under the Residential Tenancy Act. "Moreover, where appropriate, the circumstances of SPL's tenancy agreements have been determined by the NSW Civil Administrative Tribunal to not constitute residential tenancy agreements," the statement said. "Moreover, no parolee has been moved from any residence without sufficient notice except in extreme circumstances where serious crimes have been committed or threatened, such as episodes of violence against other occupants." The City of Newcastle has confirmed SPL did not seek approval to run a boarding house at 88 Hanbury Street, Mayfield, a building now named 'Alma Mater', when it opened two months ago. Corrective Services NSW said following recent concerning reports about the operating practices of SPL, it is "reviewing its suitability as a place of accommodation for parolees". The NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission has also confirmed it is investigating concerns raised about SPL but is "unable to comment further". "Participants have the right to fair treatment, transparency, and quality services under the NDIS," a commission spokesperson said. "The NDIS Commission strongly encourages participants, their families, and advocates to report any concerns regarding unethical provider behaviour."
