Montefiore hits back
MONTEFIORE Home president David Freeman has hit back at Millie Phillips, who announced in last week’s AJN that she is going to try and take over the aged-care provider at the upcoming annual general meeting.
MONTEFIORE Home president David Freeman has hit back at Millie Phillips, who announced in last week’s AJN that she is going to try and take over the aged-care provider at the upcoming annual general meeting.
Freeman said in a statement this week that Phillips wants “to impose savage reductions to the care levels” and that any budget cuts “would destroy the reputation of the Home, which is widely regarded as being the finest aged-care provider in Australia”.
Freeman also responded to allegations that the Montefiore should return a profit every year.
“For the past 120 years, the Home has had a philosophy of providing the highest standard of care it can responsibly afford and to provide this necessary standard of care to all of its elderly residents, irrespective of whether they are full-fee paying or financially supported pensioners,” Freeman said.
“The Home currently supports 200 residents who are full pensioners and who are only able to contribute 85 per cent of their pension towards their cost of care.
“We also support the complex care needs of the 30 per cent of our residents that are Holocaust survivors.”
Phillips dismissed Freeman’s claim, saying that those who understand the finances of the Montefiore are shocked by her revelations last week that she believes she can save up to $15 million a year.
“Hopefully Mr Freeman will reveal when during his 27-year directorship Monte made a profit,” Phillips said.
She challenged Freeman to a public debate.
“Mr Freeman pays $200,000 plus for a PR machine that churns out pretty words while I write clunkers.
“It could balance out with a public debate which, given our ages, logic suggests he should win. We should bring clarity to our battle, which for the sake of the future of our community we must win.”
Having gone through Montefiore’s accounts, the JCA determined that the current level of care can only be sustained if the current level of endowments and donations, which amounted to $4.7 million last year, doesn’t fall.
“As part of the allocations process, JCA has received and reviewed the Monte’s 2011 audited financial accounts, which indicated that the organisation was in a sound financial position with a very strong balance sheet,” JCA president Peter Philippsohn said.
“The Monte will remain a robust going concern provided they continue to receive appropriate levels of government funding, maintain adequate returns from investments and generate current levels of fundraising receipts (mainly from bequests).
“Should any of these revenue streams begin to decline, the Montefiore Board has the ability to review their cost structures and adapt accordingly.”
The Montefiore annual general meeting will be held on Sunday, December 9, at the Montefiore Home in Hunters Hill at 10am.
JOSHUA LEVI
Montefiore president David Freeman.
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