West HQ designates security hazard for disabled sons: parents
“It’s a genetic problem. Let’s not even go to the club, let’s spend four hours there. “We spend all our money and then they come and tell you you have to leave the club,” Dwayne said.
Linda and Blake after leaving West HQ.Credit: Facebook
The family was forced to move from Sydney to Lockhart, a town about 40 minutes from Wagga Wagga, in 2017 for a more affordable living situation.
Dwayne has been fighting for workers’ compensation for 14 years after tearing four discs in his back while working as a garbage truck driver, and said funding Blake’s disability is an ongoing battle.
“For six years we’ve been waiting for NDIS to make changes to our transporter to bring it around… They’ve turned it down now, it keeps going back,” he said.
“We use a beach wagon to drive him around because his disability requires him to lie down to eat … He can’t sit upright for long, so if he’s in a wheelchair, he has to get out of his wheelchair and lie down anyway.”
“My wife is now getting too old to push the wheelchair into the van using the manual ramps and her back hurts.”
Poker machines in West Headquarters. Credit: Flavio Brancaleone
The family said they will never return to the club.
A West Headquarters spokesman said the family were never asked to leave and fully supported the staff’s actions in complying with security measures.
“When two of our venue managers learned that an apparently inappropriate beach cart was being used to transport a person through our venue, they politely and respectfully reached out to the client to discuss their safety concerns,” the spokesperson said.
“Before they could properly discuss their concerns, the guests got very excited and told them they were leaving and then left the venue.
“The managers of the venue never asked her to leave. It was entirely her choice.”
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