Chris O’Brien, the chairman of Auckland’s Laura Fergusson Trust has broken his silence after disability advocate Jane Carrigan and tetraplegic Sophia Malthus called for his resignation earlier today.
He says the board’s “happy to meet” with the Health Minister.
It comes after Malthus, 23, delivered a petition to Parliament calling for Government intervention to save the rehabilitation centre in Auckland.
Otherwise, she said, young people with a disability would have to enter rest homes.
The Laura Fergusson Trust centre in Auckland provided rehabilitation for young people with disabilities. It closed last year, claiming it was short of funds, leaving those depending on its services devastated.
Associate Minister of Health Ayesha Verrall said the Trust declined financial support.
“After the Trust made its decision, all types of support including funding were on the table and were able to be discussed. The Trust declined to engage further and informed the Ministry that its decision to stop providing these services was final,” Verrall said.
Laura Fergusson Trust Chairman Chris O’Brien said in a statement to 1 NEWS the board’s disappointed in the messaging around the questions and answers in Parliament yesterday.
“The messaging from that session grossly misrepresents the factual position,” O’Brien said.
“LFT Auckland was a contractor providing clinical services to various Crown agencies. Under the terms of its contracts, LFT Auckland is precluded from commenting on its prior contractual relationship with the Ministry of Health.”
Sophia Malthus delivered a petition to Parliament calling for the Government to intervene.
“The Board is happy to meet with the Minister of Health to clarify the factual position at his convenience,” O’Brien said.
ACT leader and Epsom MP David Seymour said he’s pleased with the outcome.
“This is a huge breakthrough with the Laura Fergusson Trust breaking their silence and both the Government and the Trust willing to talk,” Seymour said.
“The Government has said all options are on the table, if the Trustees are not prepared to take advantage of this opportunity on behalf of those the Trust was set up for, they should consider stepping aside to give someone else a go,” Seymour said.
Carrigan is also calling for a Government inquiry into the Laura Fergusson Trust. Carrigan and Malthus are calling for Trust chairman Chris O'Brien to resign.
“The Government has to intervene at some level, there has to be a way that the property remains in the hands of Aucklanders,” Carrigan said.
She also said the Laura Fergusson Trust centres in Wellington in Canterbury are “deeply ashamed” of their Auckland board.
“The problem is the board,” Malthus said.
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