Focus on safety

From bushfires to floods to cyclones, our teams have a long history of keeping residents, clients and each other safe during severe weather events.

Across Australia we are no stranger to extreme weather, and many of our locations have been impacted by weather events.

This year alone, our communities and services have faced Victorian bushfires, a flooding emergency in Bundaberg and Longreach, and severe weather in Western Australia linked to Tropical Cyclone Narelle.

Through it all, our teams led an incredible response.

Grace Westdorp, Executive General Manager Care Quality and Safety, said she was impressed by the way people came together to ensure the safety and wellbeing of customers and each other.

“What stands out is the way safety is considered holistically. It’s not just about managing the immediate event, but ensuring residents, clients and employees feel supported, informed and safe throughout,” she said.

Preparation is key

Preparation plays a key role in this response. Teams draw on well-established business continuity plans that guide how we respond, recover and continue delivering essential services during disruption. Every home, village and service has a plan in place, ensuring teams are ready to act.

During the recent floods in Bundaberg, residential care teams had additional food, water and medical supplies in place, while team members stayed at the home to maintain care. In the local community, teams carried out welfare calls to check on clients, ensuring they had what they needed to remain safe at home. Across retirement living communities, Village Managers kept in close contact with residents, providing reassurance and practical help. 

Behind the scenes, a network of support teams helped coordinate communication, supplies and logistics and responded quickly to changing needs – often around the clock.  

Grace said the response highlighted the strength of a coordinated, organisation-wide approach.

“Our business continuity plans provide a clear framework, but it’s how our teams bring those plans to life – supporting each other and staying focused on what matters most – that makes the real difference,” she said.

“It’s a credit to all involved and a true example of living our values of always safe and always together.”

Managing critical events

During a critical event like severe weather, having clear responsibilities and escalation pathways is central to a coordinated response.

Our Critical Issues Escalation Matrix supports this, setting clear expectations for escalation including defined risk levels, response timeframes and accountabilities.

The matrix reinforces the important role we all need to play in prompt escalation, particularly for high-risk incidents. It should be used alongside clinical incident frameworks, business continuity plans and operational procedures.

You can view the recently updated Critical Issues Escalation Matrix on Connect. If you have any questions, please refer to your leader.

Equipment that enhances care

A major initiative is underway to strengthen safe resident support in our homes through the introduction of standardised lifting equipment.

Led by our safety and wellbeing, clinical quality and risk, and procurement teams, with support from an ergonomics specialist, the program will introduce a standardised fleet of hoists, passive lifters and standing lifters across our 88 homes.

Margaret Reid, General Manager Strategic Procurement, said the program aimed to reduce risks, improve efficiencies and support workforce mobility.

“Moving to a single model of equipment will reduce the risk of incompatible hoist and sling combinations and improve efficiencies through shared accessories,” she said.

“It will also enable more targeted training with team members using familiar equipment across our locations.”

A comprehensive evaluation process involving allied health, clinical operations and safety representatives has been completed with trials currently underway in eight homes in Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland.

Main image: Floodwaters outside our Fairways community in Bundaberg in March 2026.
Inline image 1: Team members testing out new lifting equipment at Templestowe Manor.