News by CITY BEAT Anthony Marx 14th May 2021 4:37 AM
Premium Content The long-running financial crisis engulfing one of the state s biggest churches has deepened dramatically. The Presbyterian Church of Queensland revealed on Thursday that it had secured court orders to tip its legal entity, PCQ, into receivership, a move certain to shock employees, congregants and other stakeholders. Services for aged care facilities, schools, congregations and other community groups will continue to operate as usual while the receivers, PwC bean counters Michael Owen and Phil Carter, review PCQ s operations. The startling development follows the church s failed efforts at a restructure over more than a year as it sought to extricate itself from a disastrous involvement in the aged care sector.
KITCHEN CLOSED A Presbyterian Church-run hospitality company that provided meals to the aged and hotel industry across Queensland has gone belly up. Contented Chef, owned by troubled aged care operator PresCare, was put into liquidation earlier this week adding to the financial woes of the church s various businesses. Contented Chef was a commercial kitchen cooking meals and ingredients for aged care homes, hotels, restaurants and convenience stores. Peter Lucas, of PA Lucas & Co, has been appointed to wind up the firm, which was established in 2015. Contented Chef is a subsidiary of PresCare s Credere Services Group, which in 2019 reported net liabilities of $24 million. Credere also sells mobility equipment and monitoring systems for aged care patients.