AmAble family feud behind disability service’s turmoil

The latest twist in the saga of a disability organisation that allegedly owes nearly $500,000 to creditors has been revealed.

Bec Provis, founder of AmAble disability support company, is no longer CEO. Picture: Mark Wilson

A bitter family feud has been blamed for the turmoil at a disability support organisation in Geelong with employees who claim they are yet to receive their superannuation and vulnerable clients who claim they have been overcharged.

AmAble, an organisation that services clients with disabilities throughout the region, owed more than $500,000 to creditors in October last year.

AmAble’s former chief executive Bec Provis last week announced her resignation and the not-for-profit charity would cease operations.

But in a Facebook post on Tuesday night, AmAble said: “Any statements or comments made by Ms Provis or her husband are not a representation of AmAble or its vision and should not be regarded as such”.

An employee of AmAble said staff were “confused” about the message.

One National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) provider who works closely with AmAble labelled the state of affairs a “circus”.

Bec Provis, founder of Amable disability support company, has ADHD. Picture: Mark Wilson

“My understanding is that AmAble is more of a circus that is turning into an internal family fight for control for what appears to be a mismanaged and failing business,” the provider said.

“Some staff have not been paid wages or statutory entitlements and in recent weeks participants have been left unsupported and stranded without support workers.”

Ms Provis founded AmAble in 2019.

On April 12, company information listed Ms Provis and her husband Huw Provis as directors of the organisation.

It is understood Ms Provis’ daughter Danni Frecklington, who was employed as the financial officer, is now acting as the director.

Ms Provis announced her resignation on April 11, a week after employees decided to take action and strike following regular late payments and the non-payment of super.

According to Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) documents from December 2022 detailing a report on company activities and property, AmAble owed money to bank accounts, money to its employees, superannuation, suppliers of goods/services and personal loans.

The company was restructured in October 2023, and according to copies of restructuring documents given to affected creditors, AmAble owed more than $500,000 to creditors.

According to the schedule of debts and claims, AmAble owed $403,061 to the Australian Taxation Office, $97,313 to WorkCover, $32,334 to the State Revenue Office, $2014 to Origin Energy and $1964 to the Geelong council.

The Belmont base of AmAble. Picture: Alison Wynd

Asked how much money the company owed to employees, Ms Provis said she was unable to provide that information.

“I requested details of financials and access to our accounting software which was numerously denied,” she said.

“In the last two weeks when staff came to me with what was owed to them, I was personally paying them so they didn’t go without.

“It was my intention to serve my two weeks’ notice so I could make sure my staff entitlements and anything I could do was gone before I left.

“It became apparent a number of staff were contacting me and creditors were contacting me personally.

“I reported to the board that I didn’t believe we were in a solvable position and to continue trading would be in breach of our legal requirements, so I proposed a resolution to cease trading based on that.

“I provided my resignation at the board meeting on (April 11).

“The reason for that is the untenable situation of not being provided such information as financial records as I numerously requested.”

Ms Provis announced her resignation on April 12 in a group chat with staff.

“Unfortunately it has come time for me to move on from AmAble and (I) have tendered my resignation as CEO,” the message said.

“Yesterday at our board meeting, it was also decided that AmAble is going to be wound up and cease trading from April 25.”

The former chief executive said she handed the organisation to the board in 2021 after it became not-for-profit.

AmAble former board members and employees Patrick Brady and Lesley-Caron Veater outside the Belmont premises. Picture: Alison Wynd

Former board members Patrick Brady andLesley-Caron Veater resigned from the board last September, citing a lack of transparency as a major reason for their decision.

Mr Brady worked with AmAble since its inception and said the organisation started to go downhill when it became not-for-profit.

Because the organisation had become not-for-profit, it needed to establish a board and add new members as AmAble was being run by Mr Provis, Ms Provis and Ms Frecklington at that time.

“I was asked to come on and be a board member, and at that point Lesley was also asked,” Mr Brady said.

“What we were finding was most of the decisions were being made before coming to the board. … We never received financial documents … current profit loss, long-term statements, that never happened.

“Pretty much every ex-employee who has worked there will have some complaints.”

Ms Veater said the company also did not pay wage tax and the constant delays with staff salaries dated back several years.

“There are ex-staffers contacting us left right and centre who are still talking about their own stories of non-payment of wages, including people who have recently left and not received their entitlements,” she said.

Issues have also been raised surrounding invoices sent to families using AmAble’s services. “These are often very vulnerable families, so very often they are not checking them (invoices),” Ms Veater said.

“Many of them (clients) are overwhelmed and intimidated by the system and don’t necessarily understand it fully either.”

Danni Frecklington, who was employed as the financial officer, is now acting as the director. Picture: Mark Wilson

One mother, whose child used AmAble, said she realised there were some discrepancies on her invoices.

“The invoice in November was the same invoice in December,” she said.

“We raised it, but no one ever came back to us about why they were overcharging and they couldn’t explain it.

“I had a look at one of the invoices and wondered if they were charging me certain things and charging me for the same thing the next month.

“There were a lot of different charges.”

In the past week, several employees have come forward explaining the impacts late payments were having on their health with one describing upper management as “completely dysfunctional”

The Geelong Advertiser has asked Ms Frecklington why the company was wound up; when employees could expect their money owed, and to clarify comments by Ms Provis.

AmAble failed to respond.

In an operational update issued on April 15, Ms Frecklington said Ms Provis’ WhatsApp messages were “incredibly inappropriate and were sent to create rumour and chaos”.

“Both Bec and Huw announced their intention to shut AmAble down so they could start their own company without ‘having to answer to a board’ and ‘get back to the grassroots’,” she said. “As per my duties as a director to act in good faith and the best interests of the company, appropriate action had to be taken.

“This was not an easy decision to make, nor was it done out of anything but the interest of AmAble.

“The statements made about AmAble being ‘wound up’ or shutting down, were again made as part of what Bec herself calls ‘burn the village’ mode.

“I cannot provide any further comment to these until after I have addressed them at a board level this week, however I will always act under my responsibilities as a director and also as someone who genuinely believes in the support and services we provide.

“All and any shifts worked will still be paid as normal.”

Despite announcing AmAble would cease operations on April 25, Ms Provis has established a new support service called Diversity Supports.

Originally published as AmAble family feud behind disability service’s turmoil