St Basil’s Homes for the Aged and WorkSafe Victoria in COVID plea deal
The Victorian Not For Profit appeared in the County Court of Victoria on Monday (2 March 2026) facing a single charge after eight charges were withdrawn.
WorkSafe Victoria originally imposed nine charges against St Basil’s Homes for the Aged in Victoria relating to a 2020 COVID-19 outbreak which resulted in the deaths of 45 residents.
However, St Basil’s and WorkSafe reached an agreement that the matter would proceed without going to trial on the basis that St Basil’s would plead guilty to one charge only. WorkSafe agreed to withdraw the remaining eight charges.
The single charge to relates the allegation that St Basil’s failed to provide specialised information, instruction, training or supervision about the donning and doffing of personal protective equipment (PPE) to five employees between 13 March and 12 July 2020. At the time, St Basil’s employed 110 staff.
The operator conducted five training sessions at the Fawkner facility, 12km north of the Melbourne CBD, between March and June, the County Court of Victoria heard on Monday. However, five staff members did not attend any of the sessions and not all staff understood the measures.
The first case of COVID-19 at St Basil’s was confirmed on 9 July, but by 15 July dozens of cases had been identified, and the aged care outbreak remains the most deadly of the pandemic era.
St Basil’s Barrister Conor O’Bryan said the company had suffered significant negative attention since the deaths, and had digitised records and secured a new training manager. A statement from the operator said it has undergone a complete Board renewal and improved governance and operational arrangements since the outbreak.
The outbreak contributed to the home experiencing significant financial distress. Before the COVID-19 outbreak, St Basil’s had 92 residents, today it has only 77. Financial pressures have been relieved to some degree by the Greek Orthodox Church, which owns the land, waiving rent for several years.
Judge Trevor Wright indicated that he is planning to impose a financial penalty on St Basil’s. He will hand down his sentence on 11 March 2026.
The resident deaths at the facility are also the subject of a coronial inquest. In 2024, State Coroner John Cain put the inquiry on hold until the conclusion of the WorkSafe charges.
