ARTICLE · 03 APRIL 2018

Work related or not work related? Tragic South Australian fatality in the headlines.

Kott Gunning

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Tragic fatality initially considered not work related but later considered work related. .

AustraliaEmployment and HR

Stephen Williams

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On 23 March 2016, experienced remote area nurse, Ms Gayle Woolford, was working in Fregon, in the APY lands in the Simpson Desert, some 1,275 km and an 18 hour drive from Adelaide. She was "on call" and living in a high security house at the time.

Convicted sex offender Dudley Davey lured her out of the house at about 11:30 pm that night by saying his grandmother was sick and needed medical assistance. Once out of the safety of her house he raped and murdered her.

SafeWork South Australia initially determined that the incident was not work related, but recently reversed its decision admitting that the evidence available should have led it to the conclusion that her death was work related.

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