Tuesday, 1 August 2023

Remembrance Parks Central Victoria

Wendy LOVELL (Northern Victoria) presented a petition bearing 393 signatures:

The Petition of certain citizens of the State of Victoria draws to the attention of the Legislative Council the repeated pattern of governance failures by the Board of Remembrance Parks Central Victoria (RPCV) and their failure to manage cemeteries with the compassion and competence needed to deal with grieving families. RPCV has desecrated graves by removing and destroying items placed by families with no prior warning or ability for families to retrieve cherished items. These items have included war medals, and toys that deceased children have played with. The Board has shown a complete lack of empathy and compassion to the families affected by the actions of RPCV and attempts to blame the desecration of the graves on the CEO for implementing an adornment policy that was endorsed by the Board. The Chair of the Board has admitted that the adornment policy has not been reviewed for several years. Other examples of the incompetence of the Board of the RPCV include their failed attempt to increase the cost of funerals and internments by up to 300 per cent.

The petitioners therefore request that the Legislative Council call on the Government and the Minister for Health to remove the Board of Remembrance Parks Central Victoria replace it with a new Board and Board Chair that will manage cemeteries with competence and compassion.

Wendy LOVELL: I move:

That the petition be taken into consideration on the next day of meeting.

Motion agreed to.