Victoria suspends Barton Care licence after uncovering unqualified staff and pay-sheet fraud

Victoria’s Labour Hire Authority moved to suspend the operating licence of staffing firm Barton Care Pty Ltd after a probe revealed widespread credential fraud and wage irregularities. The audit showed that almost seven-tenths of the workers’ qualifications were either revoked or never valid, with the Australian Skills Quality Authority having cancelled many of the issuing training organisations. One case involved a worker receiving a qualification within nine days of arrival in Australia, despite the program normally taking months.

The authority also accused the company of underpaying staff and allowing student-visa holders to exceed permitted working hours by falsifying pay slips. Acting labour hire licensing commissioner Michelle Osborne described the action as “extraordinary” to stop conduct that could endanger elderly residents. Barton Care, which lists more than 600 nurses, assistants and support staff, serves aged-care providers such as Jewish Care, Estia and Bass Care across Victoria, New South Wales, Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory. The regulator intends to pursue full licence cancellation after giving the firm a chance to respond.