Charity shows lack of heart

One of Australia’s biggest health charities, the Heart Foundation, has been criticised over a series of forced redundancies, including that of a respected Aboriginal health manager.

Several Perth staff, including cultural lead co-ordinator Lyn Dimer, pictured, have been shown the door by the foundation’s national office in the past month, and sources say more job cuts are coming.

Ms Dimer has spent almost 20 years working in indigenous health and is credited with saving lives from heart disease, a major killer of Aboriginal people.

But according to sources, she was told last month that her job as well as that of an indigenous co-worker were gone. Sources have warned of a backlash by West Australians, who have a reputation of being parochial about the “WA Heart Foundation” — often giving generous donations and bequests or working as fundraising volunteers. After criticism from Aboriginal academics about the recent redundancies,

the Heart Foundation’s group national chief executive John Kelly sent an email to staff last week defending the changes.

He said a review had resulted in some internal changes but it remained committed to Aboriginal health and would focus on four key areas, including a program in the Pilbara, for the rest of the year.

In a statement, the Heart Foundation’s head office also denied the WA office was being targeted.

“It is part of a wider restructure as the Heart Foundation reviews how we can best deliver our heart health goals, while ensuring that donors’ money is being spent prudently,” it said.

“As a result, a small number of redundancies have been made in the Western Australia office.

“We will continue to look at how we can optimise outcomes for the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and the WA office is an integral part of our approach.”