Westfield settles for donation and apology

By Rebecca Fraser
WESTFIELD Fountain Gate has donated $50,000 to the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) following a recent incident where a disabled man was forced to crawl to his car.
The move comes more than two weeks after muscular dystrophy sufferers, brothers Ross and Tony Costa, were blocked from taking borrowed wheelchairs into the shopping centre’s car park, sparking public outrage.
Ross was forced to crawl several metres to a waiting car due to Westfield’s policy, which prohibited shoppers from taking the borrowed chairs to the car park.
Following the incident, three Casey residents also spoke to the News claiming they, too, had been blocked from taking chairs from the centre.
This week, Westfield issued a statement on their company website regarding both the incident and the donation.
This read in part that Westfield had met representatives of the Costa family and the brothers had requested, and Westfield had agreed, to provide a significant donation to the Muscular Dystrophy Association of Australia.
The statement also said that Westfield apologised for the circumstances that led to the incident and deeply regretted the indignity suffered by the brothers.
“Westfield has clarified its policy to make it clear that staff should offer every possible assistance in helping disabled customers move safely from the centre to their transport.
“All parties agreed that regardless of how the incident arose, it was regrettable and all possible steps should be taken to avoid a similar incident occurring again.
“Westfield has reissued its policy governing the use of wheelchairs and all staff have been instructed accordingly.”
Executive director of the MDA Boris Struk said the organisation was grateful for the donation, but was disappointed by the circumstances surrounding the donation.
He said the donation really came from the Costa brothers as they decided to forward the funds to the MDA instead of possibly keeping the money for themselves.
Mr Struk said the donation would be used to fund MDA camps, for information support services, research and the provision of general services.
He also dubbed the incident “deplorable” and called on Westfield to become more savvy and look after their shoppers better.