Seventeen workers at Southern Cross Care facilities in Broken Hill have lost their jobs following the organisation’s acquisition by its Queensland counterpart, with the takeover finalised this month.

Southern Cross Care Queensland confirmed the completion of its buyout of Southern Cross Care Broken Hill operations, with affected positions described as administrative and support roles that duplicated existing functions within the expanded organisation.

The acquisition, settled on 13 June, represents the culmination of a partnership that began in 2024 when the Queensland-based provider stepped in to assist the struggling Broken Hill operations.

The far west NSW facilities had been under scrutiny from aged care regulators following compliance issues identified during inspections in early 2023. Multiple residential care homes operated by Southern Cross Care Broken Hill required significant upgrades to meet current aged care quality standards.

Under the partnership arrangement, Southern Cross Care Queensland deployed senior staff to Broken Hill to overhaul systems and procedures across the facilities, which include several nursing homes and retirement villages serving the remote mining community.

The organisation’s chief executive praised the turnaround effort, noting that recent regulatory assessments showed the facilities now met quality requirements after months of intensive work to bring operations up to standard.

A new regional manager was appointed to oversee the transition, with the organisation emphasising its commitment to maintaining services for the Broken Hill community, which has relied on Southern Cross Care facilities for aged care since 1974.

The job losses come as aged care providers across Australia grapple with increased regulatory requirements and staffing pressures. The remote location of Broken Hill, situated over 1,200 kilometres from Sydney near the South Australian border, presents particular challenges for maintaining sustainable aged care services.

Staff affected by the redundancies were notified earlier this month, with the positions eliminated primarily in back-office functions such as administration, finance and human resources – areas where the Queensland operations already had established teams.

The acquisition ensures the continuation of aged care services in the isolated mining town, though questions remain about the long-term sustainability of the facilities under the new ownership structure.

Southern Cross Care Broken Hill’s facilities include St Anne’s residential aged care home and several other care facilities that serve both Broken Hill and the nearby Victorian city of Mildura.

The takeover reflects broader consolidation within Australia’s aged care sector, as smaller regional providers struggle to meet increasing compliance costs and regulatory demands introduced following the aged care royal commission.

This article appeared on Back Country Bulletin on 9 June 2025.