Millie Phillips in another brawl – this time with her Jewish establishment
The expression “age does not weary” certainly applies to Milstern Retirement Village owner, 83-year-old Millie Phillips. She is prepared to conduct long disputes with anybody she disagrees with including residents, their families and now the prestigious Jewish board of the Sir Moses Montefiore Home in Sydney.
She has taken out a full-page ad in the Australian Jewish News, criticizing the board for not making a profit of at least $5 million each year from 700 beds. Montefiore delivered a loss of more than $1 million in 2011. Ms. Phillips says each bed should make between $7,000 and $15,000 a year in her experience as an aged care operator. In the ad she states she could reduce costs by between $15m-$30m a year.
The current president of Montefiore, David Freeman, has issued a statement that the current Board consists of high-calibre individuals and that “Mrs. Phillips’ public advertising campaign makes a number of erroneous and insulting allegations that denigrate the management of the home which are totally inaccurate and misrepresent the truth”. Pulling no punches, he advises “I urge you to simply Google Millie Phillips or Milstern Health Care and make your own assessment of Mrs. Phillips based on the reports of her care services and business reputation”.
She has responded “Mr. Freeman pays $200,000 plus for a PR machine that churns out pretty words while I write clunkers”. Ms. Phillips is seeking board control at the 9 December AGM. She can’t join the build herself because they have an age limit of 72.
