Equal Opportunity Commission concludes Janefield investigation

22/10/2001

The Equal Opportunity Commission of Victoria has completed its investigation of the decision by the Department of Human Services to place about 100 former residents of the Janefield and Kingsbury Training Centres at Plenty Residential Services, rather than in community residential units.

The Commission found that in the majority of cases the residents were not subjected to unlawful discrimination because they were moved to facilities that met their needs.
However the Commission concluded that 11 residents were subjected to unlawful discrimination in the course of their individual assessment and placement at Plenty Residential Services.

These residents could have moved to community residential units, but were instead placed at Plenty Residential Services, in some cases due to an apparent absence of appropriate community residential units. In November 1994, the State Government announced the closure of the Janefield and Kingsbury Training Centres for people with intellectual disabilities in Bundoora. Most of the residents were moved to community residential units with a smaller number moved to nursing homes and Plenty Residential Services, a new complex built on the former Janefield site.

In 1996, the former Victorian Anti-Discrimination Tribunal referred the matter to the Equal Opportunity Commission for investigation.

Following its decision, the Commission will conduct conciliation for the 11 residents. Another two residents have also been invited to participate in conciliation because the investigation did not find sufficient information to conclude that they had not been discriminated against. The Office of the Public Advocate is assisting with the conciliation process by providing individual advocacy for the 13 residents.

The Commission will issue a full report on the investigation once conciliation has concluded. The Commission's decision does not change the immediate living arrangements of any Plenty Residential Services resident.