What exactly did they tell you the first time around? If it wasn't a formal letter listing your entitlements then I wouldn't bank on it.
They're probably guilty of having an incompetent HR department more than anything else. If they've offered you an equivalent job in the new company then I'd say fair play to them and you're probably not entitled to a severance.
Extract from initial email, Company names changed:
· If you choose not to accept the offer with ‘Company B’ you are not automatically entitled to redundancy pay. Rather, your role with ‘Company A’ will be made redundant on completion of the sale, and at that point in time ‘Company A’ will look to redeploy you within the company. If another comparable position is found for you within the company you will not be entitled to redundancy.
· Only after every effort has been made to redeploy you elsewhere within ‘Company A’s’ business and no roles are found, will your employment be terminated for redundancy.
· If a decision is finally made to terminate your employment for redundancy you will be provided with relevant details as to any likely payments you might receive on termination.
If you wish to find out more about what your redundancy entitlements, would be please refer to the relevant page on the fair work website hereand/or the factsheet
‘Here’ and ‘here’ were links to the fair work page that states you get 2 years per year of service etc.