Detectives have charged a 33-year-old man with murder following an alleged attack at an NDIS group home in Australind, Western Australia. The incident occurred at a facility run by NDIS provider St Jude's, north of Bunbury.
The victim, a 40-year-old man, died in Royal Perth Hospital late on Tuesday after being initially treated at Bunbury Hospital and then transferred to Perth. Police initially charged the 33-year-old with grievous bodily harm before upgrading the charge to murder on Wednesday morning.
The accused appeared in Bunbury Magistrates Court on Monday and has been remanded in custody. The NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission has launched its own internal investigation into the incident.
A spokesperson for the commission expressed sympathies for the family and friends of the deceased, stating that the matter has been referred to police and that the commission will conduct a separate investigation to ensure the provider fulfilled its obligations.
Stuart Schonell, chief executive of Advocacy WA, described the incident as tragic and concerning, highlighting a pattern of serious incidents at group homes. He criticized the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission for not doing enough to monitor homes, particularly in regional areas with limited choices for participants.
A St Jude's spokeswoman confirmed that the incident involved two NDIS participants and that the provider acted immediately, reporting the matter to the commission and assisting police and the National Disability Insurance Agency with their investigations.
