WARNING: This story deals with suspected suicide
A Kiwi tradie who moved to Australia for work spent his final hours on a 47-minute phone call with his manager, during which he Googled the term “work negligence”.
After that phone call, the 27-year-old carpenter died in a suspected suicide in the Melbourne factory where he had been working – mostly alone – for two months.
After complaints from his grieving sister of a “toxic” workplace culture and poor conditions, investigations by WorkSafe Victoria and a coroner are now under way into Samuel Keast’s death in November last year.
Keast started working at the Whanganui-based Playground Centre in 2018. The company makes playgrounds for parks and schools in New Zealand and Australia.
“He loved Playground Centre because he was working with his hands and he was able to get in there and just do things,” his sister Serena Keast told the Herald.
In 2022, Playground Centre managers suggested Keast would be a good fit to move to Australia to establish its new Melbourne factory, Serena said.
He had just split with his wife and his sister was living in Melbourne, so he saw the move as something of a fresh start, she said.
In a report she prepared for the WorkSafe investigation, Serena wrote that the day before he was due to move to Melbourne in September 2023, Keast received an unnerving voice message from his employer, about his pay.
“So we’ll keep paying you umm, as per normal in New Zealand for the next two to three months. So you’ll just need to transfer the money across obviously to your Australian account,” the message said.
“We’ll bump your wage up a bit for you so you’re not losing anything in the exchange rate differential, so that, umm, that you won’t be any worse off.”
Keast’s sister said he couldn’t explain to his family exactly what his contract was, or what he would be paid.
She also claimed Keast received another voice message from his boss a day after his move, saying; “... it might be worth sussing out where the nearest medical centre is too, just a bit of forward-thinking – for instance, when at some stage if you need to make a doctor’s appointment, or you know, if there was a, if um, if you did have an accident of some type. Just so you know roughly where to go.”
She said her brother was always exhausted and regularly worked seven days a week, with no overtime pay.
“Sam and I had spoken at length about the way he was treated by Playground Centre management. He voiced that no overtime was ever allowed, despite a lot being worked. No workers were allowed to join or even discuss unions. He often referenced the workplace as ‘toxic’.
“I could see ... they were taking advantage, but he didn’t want to believe that,” she said.
She said it was also hugely stressful for him to find accommodation during a housing crisis in Melbourne. She claimed Playground Centre had initially told Keast they would pay for a motel for him to live in for the first six months, but this was cut down to three.
The Herald was unable to verify this allegation with Playground Centre.
At one point, Keast messaged his dad fearing he was going to end up homeless, Serena said.
Records from Keast’s work phone showed he had two final phone conversations on November 28, 2023 – the day he died – one which lasted two minutes and, half an hour later, a call that lasted 47 minutes.
During the first incoming phone call, Keast spoke with his manager, saying he was feeling unwell and needed to go home, but was told he needed to finish one last job for the day. He was also asked to complete a delivery the following morning and then he could have the day off sick.
The manager referenced this phone call in their statement to Victoria Police, included in a Coronial brief seen by the Herald, saying; “Thought he was getting sick and a bit tired. Was told he could have the next day off after he had done a delivery first thing in the morning.”
A second call came in at 1.52pm which Keast’s sister believes was his last ever phone call.
That conversation with another manager lasted a total of 47 minutes. Browser history on Keast’s personal phone showed he made a single Google search during the call – “work negligence”.
His sister believes Keast took his life shortly after this second phone call.
“I personally suspect that the Google search for ‘work negligence’ is the closest to a suicide note that Sam could muster,” she said.
She said she hadn’t spoken to his manager about what was discussed but would like to know.
In a statement to police, the manager said they had a “work-related” conversation over the phone, during which Keast said he was sick. The manager claimed they spoke to Keast on the morning of November 29, but phone records show it was the previous afternoon.
Keast’s sister claims both phones were in his pocket when his body was found on November 29 and neither was analysed by police.
“I retrieved both phones, his keys and wallet when police cleared them for collection. Sam used the same pin code for both his personal computer and each of the mobile phones. I backed up and collected as much evidence from both phones as possible,” she said.
She told the Herald that months later police requested the phones back for the Coronial brief.
Keast’s sister said Playground Centre only began worrying about his welfare on November 29, after staff were unable to contact him since the previous afternoon. Phone records show his manager attempted to call him eight times between 7am and 1pm, but there was no answer.
His boss, who had a family member living close by, asked if a welfare check could be conducted on Keast that evening at the West Melbourne workshop. His lifeless body was found and police were called.
His sister said because of the company having out-of-date next-of-kin details, Keast’s family weren’t advised of his death until November 30 when they received a call from his former father-in-law.
Keast’s sister reported the death to health and safety regulator WorkSafe Victoria that day and received an automatic email saying they would look into it. She followed up two months ago and was told WorkSafe had not received a report from Playground Centre of the death.
She wrote to WorkSafe Victoria in August, requesting a mandatory investigation be undertaken, saying she believed poor planning, management and ongoing workplace bullying contributed to her brother’s death.
A WorkSafe Victoria spokesman said; “WorkSafe Victoria has received a request relating to an alleged contravention of the Occupational Health and Safety Act and is investigating the matters raised.”
A spokesperson for WorkSafe New Zealand confirmed it was notified of Keast’s death, but the matter was outside its jurisdiction given the death occurred in Australia.
The Herald asked Playground Centre for its response to the allegations raised by Serena Keast.
A Playground Centre representative did not respond to specific allegations but told the Herald the company was “saddened” by Samuel Keast’s death and had offered its “sincere condolences” to his family.
“Playground Centre is committed to supporting the health, wellbeing and safety of communities through our recreational solutions. This commitment extends to our team members,” the spokesperson said.
“We have provided our full co-operation to Victorian Police and WorkSafe Victoria since this incident late last year and continue to support any ongoing inquiries.
“We understand that the Coronial and WorkSafe Victoria investigations are ongoing and therefore no further comment will be provided.”
Benjamin Plummer is an Auckland-based reporter who covers breaking news. He has worked for the Herald since 2022.
