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2 SEPTEMBER, 2025
Kangaroo great Anthony Stevens writes exclusively for Star Weekly 12790528-JD33-25
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Day centre blow By Narelle Coulter The sudden closure of a disability day centre in Maddingley threatens to trigger a cascade of “negative outcomes, mental and physical health decline, reduced social connection, and the erosion of meaningful community engagement“ fear families and former staff. Annecto Incorporated went into liquidation in June ceasing all aged care, veterans and disability services in three states, including Victoria. The announcement was a devastating blow to the roughly 70 participants and their families who relied on Annecto’s day centre at 2 Bacchus Street, Maddingley.
The heart of our community has been torn out. There was no plan, no transparency, and no dignity in how it ended - Hayley Russell Mary Boratto’s brother Andrew had been attending group day activities five days a week, 9am to 4pm, at the Bacchus Street hub for 35 years. “It has been a second home for us and for Andrew in particular. He built long friendships and was supported by incredible staff. He had found his place in the community. It wasn’t just a service, but a lifeline for us as a family,” said Ms Boratto. After Andrew’s last day at Annecto on Friday, August 8, he was linked in with a new support provider, Melba Support Services. However Melba offers one-on-one community access, not a day program as Andrew had been used to. “Andrew’s disability is quite severe so a one-to-one support worker coming into our home restricts us as a family. It doesn’t
Hayley Russell and other former Annecto staff and families are fighting to save a day centre in Bacchus Marsh. (Damjan Janevski) 497420_05
work for the participants either, they need their hub and place of gathering. All those friendship groups have been broken up. He isn’t communicating with his peers,” said Ms Boratto. “Andrew doesn’t understand why we have support workers in our house, and what he is doing each day. We don’t want him going to the shopping centre every day and there are only so many times he can go to the library.” Ms Boratto heard about the centre’s closure via a television news bulletin. “We had no idea, the workers had no idea, I was in shock.” Equally shocked were Annecto
employees like disability support worker Hayley Russell. “Our disability day centre has been more than a workplace, it is a sanctuary of belonging, growth, and care,” said Ms Russell. “It essentially was their second home. For many years, staff have stood beside people with disabilities, helping them to build confidence, friendships, and purpose. But without warning, everything has collapsed around us. “Staff have been left jobless, participants are now left without support which is having a detrimental effect on them and their families, and the heart of our
community has been torn out. There was no plan, no transparency, and no dignity in how it ended. We have watched vulnerable people lose their safe inclusive space overnight.” Both women are concerned that the centre, which was founded by parents in Melton as Merrimu in the 1970s and expanded to Maddingley in the 1980s, will be lost to the community. “Our centre is on Crown land, it needs to be kept for the purpose it was built, and used for which was to provide a disability day service,” said Ms Russell. Continued: Page 4.
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