Care provider responds to anti-gay allegations
Christian aged care charity HammondCare has responded to allegations in the Star Observer that its recently approved tender of dementia advisory hotline DBMAS may lead to the hotline’s LGBTI employees forcibly closeting themselves for risk of being fired.
In a letter to the paper, HammondCare chief executive Dr Stephen Judd strongly disputed the article’s claim that HammondCare had a “vocally anti-LGBTI ethos” and said that the charity “does not, and has never, required employees to hide their sexual orientation at work”.
“HammondCare provides care for people regardless of sexual orientation. We do not and have never turned away elderly LGBTI people from our nursing homes. We in fact provide care in line with the principles of dignity, respect and choice, that underpin the Australian Government’s national LGBTI ageing and aged care strategy,” Judd said.
In the letter, Judd also disputed the article’s claim that HammondCare had “threatened to refuse Commonwealth funding” if legislation allowing religious aged care providers to refuse LGBTI people into nursing homes changed.
In its original submission to the Senate Committee inquiry on the Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Bill 2012, HammondCare argued that new provisions forcing aged-care providers who receive Commonwealth funds to accept care of same-sex people “may force a number of faith-based aged care providers, for reason of conscience, to decline Commonwealth subsidies” or “withdraw from the sector altogether”.
HammondCare claims that as the clause was being “misinterpreted”, it was removed. The final submission is available on the Senate committee website.
Judd also claimed the article’s statement that HammondCare “did not respond to requests for comment by deadline” was inaccurate . The original story was published on the Star Observer’s website on Wednesday, May 22, the same day HammondCare stated in an email exchange that they intended to respond to questions on Thursday, May 23. The Star Observer goes to print at close of day every Tuesday.
You can read Judd’s full response to the article here.
