While people continue to live in tents and caravans following the bushfires of 2019/20, the sight of the empty Nullica Lodge aged care home is fueling anger, and fear that a change of use for the land RSL LifeCare leases from Crown Lands, is in the offing.
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Chairperson of the Eden Recovery and Resilience Alliance (ERRA) Carina Severs said ERRA understood RSL LifeCare had submitted a change of use application to the NSW Crown Lands department for the Nullica Lodge site.
"ERRA does not have details about the application; however representatives have contacted state member for Bega Dr Michael Holland, and Minister for Crown Lands, Stephen Kamper about this matter and a meeting has been scheduled. The meeting will also be attended by representatives from Social Justice Advocates of the Far South Coast," Ms Severs said.
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"Eden is continuing to be challenged by significant rates of homelessness. People continue to live in tents and caravans following the bushfires of 2019/2020 and many, often elderly, people are unable to bear the cost of paying market rents," Ms Severs said.
"The continued uncertainty about the future of Nullica Lodge and its ongoing vacant status is troubling for our community."
It has been more than 18 months since Roy Wotton Gardens (Nullica Lodge) aged care facility closed.
Ms Severs led a community meeting about Nullica Lodge in December 2022 and met with RSL LifeCare CEO Janet Muir in late January 2023 to discuss the status of the facility.
Despite assurances from Ms Muir about keeping the community informed there had been no communication from her or the organisation and on June 22, 2023 Ms Severs wrote to RSL LifeCare to get an update.
In response to questions from ACM, a spokesman for RSL LifeCare said the company had "sent a formal letter to the community last week clarifying the investigation process".
The email to Ms Severs was dated the day after ACM contacted RSL LifeCare.
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"We are continuing work to determine viable future options for Roy Wotton Gardens/ Nullica Lodge and throughout this process have welcomed community interest in the property," the spokesman said.
In the email to Ms Severs, RSL LifeCare it said it was continuing to work to determine future viable options for Roy Wotton Gardens as it was a complex matter.
"As part of our due diligence, we're required to take a range of perspectives, local economics, workforce availability and commercial requirements into consideration. Our intent is to organise another community engagement in the next few months to provide an update and seek further community feedback," RSL LifeCare said in its email.
But Ms Severs said the community was feeling "fobbed off".
"They are treating us with complete disregard and disrespect and for a not-for-profit organisation I have to ask where is the compassion and where is the care?" Ms Severs said.
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Denise Dion
Regional daily news journalist on the Far South Coast of NSW. Contact me on 0418 213 780 or at denise.dion@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Regional daily news journalist on the Far South Coast of NSW. Contact me on 0418 213 780 or at denise.dion@austcommunitymedia.com.au
