Annual Report 1 March 2010 – 30 June 2011 contents: our values 03 our mission 03 our vision 03 our strategic objectives 04 key achievements 04 our locations 05 cemetery reform 06 our services 06 chair’s report 07 CEO’s report 08 key performance 09 our organisation 10 organisational chart 12 our workforce 12 leading by example 13 planning for our future 16 connecting with our communities 17 developing our people 20 governing with integrity 22 financial statements 27 disclosure index 69 The Greater Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust 1187 Sydney Road Fawkner VIC 3060 PO Box 42, Fawkner, VIC 3060 ABN 89 704 536 022 03 our values Responsiveness our Respect & Dignity Integrity mission Leadership To provide caring and respectful Compassion memorial services to our diverse communities. To apply best Accountability & Impartiality practice to every aspect of our Human Rights stewardship of tranquil memorial places in perpetuity. our vision Guardian of Enduring Memorials THE GREATER METROPOLITAN CEMETERIES TRUST AnnuAl REPORT 1 March 2010 – 30 JunE 2011 our strategic objectives To achieve our Mission to provide 1. Providing Strong Leadership 4. Developing our people and caring and respectful memorial By developing, operating workforce services to our diverse communities and maintaining our parks Ensuring our workforce is and our Vision to be the guardian of and facilities as best practice flexible and skilled to meet enduring memorials we are focussed memorial sites we are able to challenges enables us to grow as on five strategic areas over the provide services which meet an organisation and continually coming three years. the changing needs of our improve our services. community. 5. Demonstrating strong 2. Building a viable and governance and accountability sustainable organisation Improving our processes and Undertaking operations which business systems to ensure are environmentally friendly efficient and effective utilisation and sustainable in perpetuity is of resources is essential to our important in ensuring we are able ability to be accountable and to provide quality services to our conform with government and clients from now into the future. legislative requirements. 3. Enhancing relationships with the community, clients and stakeholders Providing exceptional customer service, a range of quality services and facilities, and improving communication are key areas of focus for meeting the needs of key our clients and communities. achievements • Increase in grave infrastructure of 5% for burials and 65% for mausoleums • Completion and implementation of an Environmental Sustainability Plan • Establishment of a Community Advisory Committee and the creation of a Community Engagement position to facilitate the development and implementation of a Community Engagement Plan • Completion of 16 capital works projects totalling $6.3 million 04 05 THE GMCT IS MADE UP OF 18 cemeteries AND MEMORIAL parKS IN THE north, east AND West OF MELBOURNE. our locations 18 7 12 10 6 8 4 13 9 11 2 14 Melbourne 15 • 1 17 3 16 5 1 Altona MEMORIAL PARK 2 Anderson’S CREEK CEMETERY 3 BURWOOD CEMETERY 4 Coburg PINE RIDGE CEMETERY 5 EMERALD CEMETERY 6 FaWKNER MEMORIAL PARK 7 HealesVILLE CEMETERY 8 Keilor CEMETERY 9 LILYdale LAWN CEMETERY 10 LILYdale MEMORIAL PARK 11 Northcote CEMETERY 12 Northern MEMORIAL PARK 13 Preston CEMETERY 14 TemplestoWE CEMETERY 15 TRUGANINA CEMETERY 16 Werribee CEMETERY 17 WilliamstoWN CEMETERY 18 Yarra GLEN CEMETERY THE GREATER METROPOLITAN CEMETERIES TRUST AnnuAl REPORT 1 March 2010 – 30 JunE 2011 cemetery reform In July 2008, the State Government announced reforms to the 14 major metropolitan and regional Cemetery Trusts that report to Parliament under the our Financial Management Act 1994. The reforms have been enacted as amendments to the Cemeteries and Crematoria Act 2003. The changes primarily affect the services 10 reporting trusts in the metropolitan area. The GMCT provides a broad range of services to Two metropolitan cemetery trusts were created as communities across the North, East and West of a result of the cemetery sector reform. The Greater metropolitan Melbourne. The following quality services Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust (The GMCT) covers are delivered in a caring and culturally sensitive manner, the North, West and Eastern metropolitan areas and respectful of all values and beliefs: is made up of 18 sites previously managed by the - Cremation following 8 trusts: - Interment • Altona Memorial Park - Entombment • Anderson’s Creek Cemetery Trust - Memorialisation • Fawkner Crematorium and Memorial Park - Chapel services • Keilor Cemetery Trust - Historical and heritage records • Lilydale Cemetery Trust - Garden design, landscape and maintenance • Preston Cemetery Trust - Service refreshments and functions • Templestowe Cemetery Trust • Wyndham Cemeteries Trust Responsible Bodies Declaration In accordance with the Financial Management Act 1994, I am pleased to present the Report of Operations for The Greater Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust for the reporting period ending 30 June 2011. catherine Brown Chair Greater Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust 30 June 2011 06 07 chair’s report: The completion of this Annual Report has taken longer than anticipated due to to provide advice to the Trust on the unprecedented requirements of merging eight entities, each with widely community and cultural issues. I varying levels of professionalism, client services and finance processes and would like to thank Members of the systems. Due to inconsistent accounting policies and poor record keeping Committee for their work, especially by the previous cemetery trusts, additional work was required to form the in relation to the development of construction of the opening balances in the merged entity’s general ledger. heritage walks at Coburg Cemetery This has necessitated extensive additional accounting and audit work. We are and their input into some of our pleased that the audit has been completed without any qualifications. culturally specific community events, We are fully aware of the ongoing need to continue strengthening the including the All Souls Day Masses. consistency and completeness of financial administration at all sites. The Trust There are many detailed operational is committed to building a professional and responsive organisation. We are aspects to implementing a merger. looking forward to now expanding our strategic work to meet and even exceed These are reported on more fully community expectations into the future. in the CEO’s report. This has been a demanding year for management catherine Brown and a great deal of the financial and Chair, June 2012 IT underpinnings are now in place to increase operational efficiency and This is the first annual report of The end of life needs of people from very responsiveness in corporate services, GMCT which was formed on 1 March culturally and geographically diverse client services and infrastructure 2010 following the merger of eight communities, while providing a robust management. Change is also former Cemetery Trusts in the West, and transparent financial underpinning challenging for staff, especially those North and East of Melbourne. The for current and future operations. who have held positions for many Trust wishes to acknowledge the hard Public cemeteries are required to years. The Trust appreciates this work and dedication of the former be maintained in perpetuity under and thanks change leaders for their Trust Members. Knowledge about the Victorian legislation. This means positive and thoughtful approach. management of public cemeteries that good governance requires that and crematoria has been passed on funds be set aside to meet future Cemeteries and crematoria are to us through access to planning and maintenance requirements. Once a people focused organisations and financial reports and through the cemetery is full, ongoing maintenance the Trust has recently reviewed our appointment of three former Trust must be funded from reserves. The Client Services area. We appreciate Members to the new Trust. Current GMCT has expanded on the work the feedback provided by the funeral Trust Members have backgrounds carried out by the Department of directors who met with us in June in public governance, finance, law, Human Services in this area and and are looking forward to a good heritage and property management, commissioned Deloittes to provide working relationship with all the sales and marketing, community us with advice about the perpetual families to whom we provide services development and commercial maintenance reserves required at during very sad and sensitive times. management. The diversity of skills each of our 18 sites. All sites require Recently, we initiated a market and experience has been a strength additional perpetual maintenance research project to give us feedback as we work through the complex task reserves and this is now a dimension about how community aspirations of building a single organisation. The of our investment and operational and expectations are changing about Trust has given considerable attention planning. end of life services. This will help us respond to these needs over the to strategy and policy development to The Trust is also committed to coming years. ensure strong governance of the Trust. sustainability principles and the The members of the Trust’s Finance Environmental Sustainability Plan I would like to thank all my fellow Trust and Investment Committee and has been completed and is now Members, the CEO and her Executive Audit and Risk