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Question and Answer Tracking Details

5073 - NORTHERN METROPOLITAN CEMETERIES LAND MANAGER

Crakanthorp, Tim to the Minister for Water, Property and Housing

(1) Why have two Board Members not yet been appointed to Northern Metropolitan Cemeteries Land Manager (NMCLM) despite the half term expiration of the two board members, appointed in 2015, on 30 May 2018?

(2) Why has a replacement Board Member to NMCLM not been appointed despite an exhaustive process in the second half of 2018 which produced a candidate who was recommended for appointment by the selection panel?

(3) Why were seven new board members not appointed to the board of NMCLM after the expiration of the previous board members on 29 November 2020?

(4) Why has the Government not addressed the lack of quorum of the board managing the Southern Metropolitan Centres Land Manager (SMCLM)?

(5) Will the Miller Review of Cemeteries and Crematoria NSW be made public?

(a) If not, why not?

(6) When will the review of the Cemeteries and Crematoria Act 2013 (the Act) be tabled in both Houses of Parliament in accordance with the statutory requirements set out in section 144 of the Act?

(7) Are there any plans to put management of the large Crown Cemeteries "out to tender"?

(8) Has consideration been given to appointing the Roman Catholic Church to manage all of the large Crown Cemeteries operating in the Sydney Metropolitan area and Newcastle?

 
Answer -

I am advised:

(1) - (4)

The Government tabled the Report on the Statutory Review of the Cemeteries and Crematoria Act 2013 in both Houses of Parliament on 19 February 2021 and it is now publicly available. The Government is currently considering the findings and recommendations put forward in the report and preparing its response. Given the Government's response may have an impact on the structure and management of the sector, it has not made any substantial board appointments until the response is finalised.

(5) The Miller Group was an internal report commissioned in early 2018 by the former Secretary of the then Department of Industry to undertake a review of Cemeteries and Crematoria NSW's performance. The reviewer undertook a range of stakeholder interviews and recommended some governance changes and compliance requirements for the sector. The findings of this report were used to inform the Report of the Statutory Review, released on 19 February 2021.

(6) The Review Report was tabled in both Houses of Parliament on Friday 19 February 2021. It is publicly available on the Crown Lands website.

(7) The Government is currently considering the findings and recommendations put forward in the report and preparing its response.

(8) In 2018, the Government received an Unsolicited Proposal (USP) from the Catholic Archdiocese. As is standard practice for all USP's received by Government, the proposal was assessed in accordance with Department of Premier and Cabinet and NSW Treasury Guidelines. A modified proposal was resubmitted in 2020 and that assessment process has now been placed on hold while the Government considers its response to the Statutory Review of the Cemeteries and Crematoria Act 2013. Any changes to the way Crown Cemeteries are currently operated will be considered in the context of this Review and its recommendations.

 

Question asked on 11 February 2021 (session 57-1) and printed in Questions & Answers Paper No. 97
Answer received on 18 March 2021 and printed in Questions & Answers Paper No. 103

The Parliament of New South Wales acknowledges and respects the traditional lands of all Aboriginal people, and pays respects to all Elders past and present. We acknowledge the Gadigal people as the traditional custodians of the land on which the Parliament of New South Wales stands.