The Australian Funeral Director

THE

AUSTRALIAN

F UNER A L DIR EC TOR

To Regulate

Global

Marketing

OR NOT TO REGULATE

FUNERAL TRENDS

PREPAID FUNERALS IN 2018

Vol 39 No.3 March 2018

THE AUSTRALIAN FUNERAL DIRECTOR Official Journal of the Australian Funeral Directors Association Ltd. NATIONAL OFFICE

Level 1, 700 High Street, Kew East VIC. 3102 PO Box 291, Kew East VIC. 3102 Tel: 03 9859 9966 Fax: 03 9819 7390 Toll Free: 1300 888 188 Website: www.afda.org.au

Contents

NATIONAL COUNCIL NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

President: Allan Piddington Senior Vice President: Andrew Pinder Junior Vice President: Adrian Barrett Treasurer: Bernardine Brierty DIVISIONAL REPRESENTATIVES ON NATIONAL COUNCIL NSW/ACT

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12

15

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19

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Darren Eddy, Dale Maroney, Allan Piddington QUEENSLAND

Wes Heritage, Rowan Steer SOUTH AUSTRALIA/NORTHERN TERRITORY

Andrew Kleemann, Don Sweet TASMANIA

Peter Vincent, Travis Tann VICTORIA

Beth King, James MacLeod, Andrew Pinder WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Bernardine Brierty, Adrian Barrett NATIONAL OFFICE STAFF DEANNE MCLEOD

Chief Executive Officer Email: ceo@afda.org.au ANDREW WHITE

Membership/Project Manager & Divisional Executive Officer (Queensland) Email: membership@afda.org.au

Regulars

Features

03

National President’s Message

11

Marketing Prepaid Funerals in 2018

04

Membership News

12

Your Goodbye – Benefits for Your Business

From the CEO

15

W T Howard Funerals Celebrates 95 Years

16

Boston – NFDA International Convention & Expo

07 09

In the News

26

Association News

19

Global Trends in the Funeral Industry

35

Industry News

20

How to Educate Families About Funeral Elements

37

Supplier News

23

Member Profile – Wes Heritage

THERESA BERNSTEIN

39

Funeral Industry Training

Accounts Manager Email: accounts@afda.org.au

40

Service Directory

DEANNE BROWN

48

Last Word

SARAH KLEINITZ

Divisional Executive Officer (NSW/ACT, Victoria, Tasmania & Western Australia) Email: divisions@afda.org.au

Events Coordinator Email: events@afda.org.au LUCINDA CATE

National Administration & Marketing Coordinator Email: admin@afda.org.au DIVISIONAL OFFICES NSW/ACT

Sarah Kleinitz, Divisional Executive Officer c/- National Office QUEENSLAND

Andrew White, Divisional Executive Officer c/- National Office SA/NT

Marie Cunningham PO Box 243 West Beach SA 5024 Tel: 08 8353 8151 Fax: 08 8125 5822 Email: santdivision@afda.org.au TASMANIA

Sarah Kleinitz, Divisional Executive Officer c/- National Office VICTORIA

Sarah Kleinitz, Divisional Executive Officer c/- National Office WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Sarah Kleinitz, Divisional Executive Officer c/- National Office

AFDA Website

AFDA Facebook

The Australian Funeral Director is published quarterly in March, June, September and December. We welcome material for publication. Advertising, artwork and editorial deadline for June 2018 edition is 16 April 2018 All material submitted is used at the discretion of the Editorial Committee.

Editor: Lucinda Cate, PO Box 291, Kew East, VICTORIA 3102 Email: admin@afda.org.au Editorial Committee: Deanne McLeod, Allan Piddington Registered Office: 700 High Street, Kew East VICTORIA 3102 AUSTRALIA Telephone: 03 9859 9966 Fax: 03 9819 7390 ACN 007 331 580 ABN 33 007 331 580

Copyright © 2018: Items in this publication are protected by copyright law. The Australian Funeral Director has been produced by the Australian Funeral Directors Association Ltd. as a service to its Members.

No part may be reproduced by any process without written authorisation by the Association.

Printed by: Neo. 5 Dunlop Road, Mulgrave, Vic. 3170 Graphic Design: Neo. 5 Dunlop Road, Mulgrave, Vic. 3170 Images sourced on www.dreamstime.com Opinions expressed in this Journal are not those of the AFDA. The AFDA does not accept responsibility for the content of advertisements or articles appearing which may be held to be contrary to law.

01

Mission Statement PROMOTING PROFESSIONAL FUNERAL STANDARDS

Happening

Code of Ethics

March

Members of the Australian Funeral Directors Association agree to honour the spirit and provisions of the code and as subscribers to the code to hereby affirm and accept willingly the responsibilities that are implied by membership of the Association.

15

National Governance Meeting – Hobart

16

National Council Meeting – Hobart

1. To maintain in all matters the highest standards of business, professional and personal conduct.

16-20 AFDA National Convention – Hobart

April 10

SA/NT Mortuary Training – Adelaide

2. To respect in all circumstances the confidentiality and trust placed in us by our clients and members of the public.

11

VIC Council Meeting – AFDA National Office

13

QLD Council Meeting – Brisbane

3.

To ensure that staff is qualified and competent.

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4.

To ensure that facilities are adequate for all services rendered to the community.

5.

T o provide information concerning the range of services available, the prices of these services, and the functions and responsibilities accepted on behalf of our clients.

6.

T o give a written estimate of all funeral charges and disbursements to be made on a client’s behalf at the time of taking instructions, or as soon as is practicable.

7.

T o respect the personal choice of clients and have regard for their diversity of beliefs in religious and cultural practices.

8. To ensure that all advertising is in good taste and directed to informing the public.

9.

To be thoroughly conversant with the laws of the land as they apply to funeral service and allied industries and professions.

10. To provide access to a client’s advisory service with conciliation and arbitration arrangements available to help resolve any disputes which arise between members and their clients.

02

What’s

13-14 QLD General Meeting Weekend – Brisbane VIC NW/NE Zone Meeting – Bendigo

May 8

SA/NT Industry Training – Adelaide

10-11 NSW/ACT Joint Training with CCA NSW – Parramatta 12

NSW/ACT Council Meeting – Parramatta

18-19 SA/NT Regional Meeting – Wallaroo 25

TAS Council Meeting and Training Day – Hobart

June 6

VIC Gippsland Zone Meeting – Traralgon

21

National Council Meeting – AFDA National Office

27

VIC Council Meeting – AFDA National Office

27

VIC Metro Zone Meeting – Melbourne

National President’s Message I

would like to start by wishing everybody a healthy, happy and prosperous New Year and hope that you have started the year well.

Like the start of every year, your association will be issued with a challenge or two just the same as any other year. We look forward to addressing these as they arise and seeing what the year brings.

Like the start of every year, your association will be issued with a challenge or two just the same as any other year. We look forward to addressing these as they arise and seeing what the year brings.

On a positive note, in December 2017 our CEO Deanne McLeod, QLD President Wes Heritage, NSW/ACT President Dale Maroney, Ray Valdeter and myself met with representatives of QFDA and the FDA NSW to see if we could encourage members of the various associations to consider the benefits of coming together and being represented under the banner of one larger Association.

I feel sure that all those present could see that being part of one Association has many benefits and I am sure that there will be more talks in the very near future.

The NFDA Conference was held in Boston in October and was again well attended by the many American Funeral Directors. In all I think that there were fifteen people from Australia who went this year.

Maureen and I made a diversion on the way home to visit New York and enjoy the highlights and nightlights of New York. A very interesting place I must say, but way too busy for me! We did venture to Niagara Falls for a very wet day and saw lots of water, going over those falls. It is interesting that the amount of water that goes over the falls fills one and a half million bathtubs every minute. That’s a lot of water!

On 7 December 2017 I was proud to represent our Association at the opening of Finney’s Funeral Chapel and Condolence Centre in Launceston, Tasmania. I must congratulate the Graham family on providing such a bright and beautiful facility. I am very confident that the people of Launceston will love what the Graham family have provided.

During the past six months we have had five new Members join AFDA which I would like to formally welcome. They are:

• Shaun Hamilton Funerals, NSW • Generation Funerals, QLD • Premier Funerals, QLD • Amity Rose Funerals, WA • Mason Park Funerals, VIC Please join me in welcoming our new Members.

By the time you receive your March edition of the Journal it will be time to pack the bags for our National Convention in Hobart from 16-20 March 2018. We are all looking forward to a fantastic convention in a stunning part of our country and I hope to see many of you there.

Our National Convention would not be possible without the support of our National Corporate Partners: Hyqual Australia, Funeral Plan Management, IC Frith & Associates, Foresters Friendly Society, ACC Higgins, Australian Friendly Society, AustralianSuper and Bendigo Bank, and all of our other sponsors for their ongoing support to our Association.

As we enter another year I would like to offer my special thanks to Deanne McLeod and her team at National Office – Sarah Kleinitz, Deanne Brown, Andrew White, Lucinda Cate, Theresa Bernstein and Marie Cunningham for their continued support to the Association.

I look forward to seeing you all in March at the convention in Hobart.

Warm Regards

Allan Piddington 03

Membership News Welcome to New Members

SHAUN HAMILTON FUNERALS, NSW Shaun Hamilton is the most experienced funeral director in the Tamworth region, with 35 years continuous service to the funeral profession, having commenced in 1983, initially as a partner in a firm in Tamworth, that partnership having ceased in 1995, and from there he moved to Sydney and worked with a number of corporate owned funeral companies, before forming another successful partnership that operated until 2007. A short time later, Shaun returned to the Tamworth District and established the wholly owned and operated Funeral Business – Shaun Hamilton Funerals Pty Ltd. Shaun is the sole director of the company and there are no silent partners.

Shaun Hamilton Funerals is the only locally owned and operated funeral service provider serving Tamworth, Quirindi, Werris Creek, Gunnedah, Manilla and surrounding districts. The Funeral Home and Mortuary Care Facility is located at 125 Marius Street, Tamworth, and the branch office is located at 214 George Street, Quirindi.

Under his personal direction, Shaun Hamilton and his team of compassionate, dedicated and caring staff are committed to providing the utmost care and respect to our families at all times. Be it a traditional or contemporary funeral service, the wishes of our families come first and we will go above and beyond to make those wishes happen. At Shaun Hamilton Funerals, complete openness and honesty are adhered to at all times by all members of management and staff and we welcome any enquiries and willingly provide detailed written quotations on request.

Shaun Hamilton Funerals also supports a number of community based facilities in the form of sponsorship assistance to local bowls clubs and agricultural shows, as well assistance to charity organisations.

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AMITY ROSE FUNERALS, WA

Amity Rose Funerals is an Australian family owned business, operated by Chris and Sandra Woonings, a husband and wife team, both born and raised in Albany. Chris worked as a pastor with the Presbyterian Inland Mission (PIM) since 2009 and brings with him a wide range of experience gained through working closely with those who have experienced hardship and grief. Sandra has served the community of Albany for ten years as a school teacher. Her experience brings to the business thoughtful and thorough planning, concentration to detail and sensitivity to the wishes of others. Chris and Sandra have 4 children, one who passed away in 2004.

With ‘Amity’ meaning friendship and the ‘Peace Rose’ suggesting quiet harmony and reflection, the name ‘Amity Rose Funerals’ was born. The small and dedicated Amity Rose team offers a complete range of funeral services to all groups/cultures in Albany and surrounding districts.

Chris and Sandra are committed to living up to the business name by reaching out to all in the community and beyond with love, offering hope and comfort to people in their time of sorrow. With their business principles rooted in personal faith and beliefs, they strive to provide the very best in professional service to clients and their loved ones. They

aim to show compassion, humility, respect and loving service toward grieving families and to use their gifts and talents to serve the Albany community and surrounding areas with a clear vision for Christ-like care. Chris and Sandra are constantly humbled by having the opportunity to help families through difficult times, and feel honoured to be part of the journey that families are taking.

Membership Applications Applications are accepted subject to advertising. Members have 21 days in which to make comment to national office.

FULL MEMBERSHIP Ross Funerals Scott Harris 18 Nikenbah Dundowran Road Hervey Bay QLD 4655 Compassionate Funerals Queensland Don and Karen Blue 8/27 South Pine Road Brendale QLD 4500 Paul Lahood Funeral Services Paul Lahood 798 Parramatta Road Lewisham NSW 2049

4 Healthcare Pty Ltd Shane Janicki 6 Welsh Place Landsdale WA 6065 Celeste Catering Matt McLean Suite 103, Level 1, 41 McLaren Street North Sydney NSW 2060

Membership Movements

Beaudesert & Serenity Funerals Aaron Burkin 6 Telemon Street Beaudesert QLD 4285

NEW NOMINATED REPRESENTATIVES

AFFILIATE MEMBERSHIP

Peter J Jackson Funeral Directors New Nominated Representative is Mark McKenzie

Cooke & Hutchinson Pty Ltd Dan Hutchinson Level 1, Bluewater Square 20 Anzac Avenue Redcliffe QLD 4020

Selwyn Allen Funerals New Nominated Representative is Geoff Allen

mond Conversions m a HSpecial Purpose Vehicle Builders Servicing and supporting the funeral industry for 25 years Celebrating 250 locally built hearses

PH: 1800 815 232

www.hammondconversions.com.au 05

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From the

CEO W

elcome to a new year, and my eleventh year with AFDA! Time waits for no one and we are already three months into the New Year and well advanced with our work plans for this year.

We have a great

In October last year the AFDA National Council held a strategic planning day. In preparation for our strategic review we sent a survey to Members seeking feedback on industry issues, concerns, trends and challenges, needs and wants from both a wider industry perspective and from AFDA. We had a response rate of 20%, with 83% of those returned from Full Member firms and 17% from Affiliate Members.

opportunity right now

Key areas to be addressed that emerged were:

to really turn a corner and take the AFDA in

1. One Association 2. Membership retention/attraction

new directions – we

3. Corporates vs family funeral homes

must be courageous

4. Public awareness of AFDA – selling our standards

in reviewing our processes and functions to ensure we have the right structure for our Association going forward.

5. Communication – benefits of membership/ self-promotion National Council considered these themes as part of a much wider review and revamp of our three year strategic plan. We revisited and refined our Purpose, Vision and Values for the Association, considered high level strategic goals and set measures to realise the vision which we shared with you in the February e–news. We are now working toward finalisation of our new strategic plan at our March National Council meeting to be held in Hobart. Once this is approved, I look forward to sharing this with you all in the next edition of the Journal and in the Business Plan that will be sent to all of you in early July.

From our planning day it became clear that as an Association we need to invest in our people and as such National Council will undertake a full day of Governance training prior to our meeting in March. This will ensure that our governance practices are up to standard, our Directors are aware of their responsibilities and duties, not only legally, but in their leadership roles with AFDA. I am confident that these planning and training days will help to refine our focus to ensure that all Directors and office staff are focused on key areas. No Association is

ever perfect and I know that my team and I, along with National Council are committed to continuous improvement and regular evaluation of our key strategies and focus areas to ensure that we stay relevant to our membership.

You will also notice that we have made a few changes in this edition of the Journal! It was time for a revamp and we are thankful to the Members who shared their thoughts on our Journal via our survey, and also to National Councillor Dale Maroney for working with our Editor Lucinda Cate to give effect to these changes. This is your magazine – so we would love for you to make contributions! Please feel free to send any articles, suggestions or feedback to admin@afda.org.au We have a big year ahead of us with much to work on – not just here in National Office but with all State Councils and National Council. We have a great opportunity right now to really turn a corner and take the AFDA in new directions – we must be courageous in reviewing our processes and functions to ensure we have the right structure for our Association going forward. I will leave you with the following quote, shared with me recently by an industry association colleague which is a fitting reminder.

“The structure for our association (form) should be driven by and support a vision of what the association can and should be (function).

When function is limited by form, it stifles the organization’s ability to respond swiftly and efficiently to changes in member needs over time.”

Deanne McLeod E: ceo@afda.org.au 07

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In the

News To regulate or not to regulate?

R

ecent media reports have highlighted the issue of stronger regulation in the funeral industry. As part of a new feature in the Journal where we discuss current industry issues we would like to share two Members’ views on the topic.

James MacLeod, Managing Director Tobin Brothers Funerals As Managing Director of Australia’s largest familyowned funeral company, Tobin Brothers Funerals, James MacLeod has written blogs on numerous occasions expressing the opinion that many states need greater regulation.

“The fact is that you can register your name, call yourself a funeral director and you are on your way,” Mr MacLeod says.

“There are many businesses around Australia, in particular in Victoria, who register a business name, produce a website, have a mobile telephone number and a station wagon, and then use a garage to store the remains of other people’s loved ones. We need greater regulation and we need it now!

“At Tobin Brothers, we strongly believe greater regulation is required in the funeral industry, particularly in the areas of staff training and having regulated mortuaries, refrigeration and vehicles, and licensed facilities and staff members.”

Mr MacLeod believes the standard of many funeral companies’ facilities across Victoria and in fact right around the nation are not at all satisfactory.

“In Victoria, many in the funeral industry have been calling for deregulation of the Cemeteries and Crematoria Act 2003 and the Cemeteries and Crematoria Regulation 2015.

At Tobin Brothers, we are calling for greater regulation right across the funeral industry.”

Dale Maroney, CEO Walter Carter Funerals Dale Maroney, CEO of Walter Carter Funerals in Sydney, suggests that when we consider calls for industry regulation, it’s important to remember that we’re already in a regulated environment.

“While our industry isn’t comprehensively regulated by the government, our activities are caught by various regulatory instruments, including health and consumer protection laws,” she explains.

“That’s to say nothing of the selfregulation. Through the AFDA, our industry sets standards for premises, equipment and vehicles, as well as continuing professional development.

Mrs Maroney said it begs many questions.

“How much more regulation do we need?

And who should do the regulating – the government? Or are we better left to our own devices to create a more comprehensive and robust system of self-regulation? After all, who knows our industry better than us?

“Any government regulatory framework will likely come with some sort of licensing or certification requirement; it’s a natural extension of government regulation and allows the regulator to track who’s doing what in the industry. And it’s likely that licensing or certification will be underpinned with compulsory professional development and premises inspections. While AFDA Members

are already held to standards in these areas, government regulation would likely be more onerous,” she says.

According to Mrs Maroney, the real strength of any regulatory framework lies in how compliance is monitored and enforced.

“There’s no point to regulation if no one is held accountable. The government doesn’t have a great track record in monitoring compliance in our industry – and this has given ‘dodgy’ operators the opportunity to continue to operate, which does our collective reputation no favours,” she says.

“An effective compliance regime must focus on upfront monitoring and enforcement. It needs to help operators get it right, rather than waiting for something to go wrong – as the government tends to do – and then imposing a penalty.”

Then there’s the cost. Any government regulatory framework comes with built-in costs.

“If we’re required to gain certification and renew it each year, I guarantee there will be a fee,” Mrs Maroney explains.

“That’s to say nothing of the costs we’ll incur to comply with any new standards put in place. Upgrading facilities, retraining staff, buying new equipment – the list goes on and on. We simply can’t absorb additional compliance costs, so passing them on to our client families will be a necessity. Our industry is already under the spotlight regarding our charges. Any increases won’t be viewed favourably.

“I’m the first to say that I don’t have all the answers. That’s why it’s important that we, as an industry, engage in wide-ranging and open dialogue about this important issue. Yes, there are lots of pros to having a more comprehensive regulatory framework in place. But there are also many cons. And we need to work together to decide what’s best for our industry,” she said.

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Time for Change F

or most business owners, the beginning of a new year is a time to take stock, to plan and to prepare. It’s a time to consider what worked well last year and what you might do differently this year.

What goals might you set in 2018 to make sure this year is a successful one?

One big theme that often arises, particularly at the beginning of the year, is that of change. What parts of your business will change and what will remain the same? Do you need to expand the chapel or buy a new hearse? Perhaps you’re so busy that it’s time to hire new staff. What about your prepaid marketing?

To complicate things further, businesses have more ways than ever before to communicate with potential clients. Facebook, Google AdWords, Search Engine Optimisation; marketing was a lot easier when all you had to do was update your Yellow Pages listing and renew sponsorship of the local football club.

So, how should you approach prepaid marketing in 2018? Is Facebook a silver bullet? Will Google grow your business?

Unfortunately, there is no simple answer – but there are a few easy steps you can follow to make your marketing more effective this year.

Marketing Prepaid Funerals in 2018

approach might not hit the mark.

One way to identify what is important to prospective clients is to listen to current clients.

One way to identify what is important to prospective clients is to listen to current clients. If your current clients consistently talk about protecting their families from rising funeral costs, for example, then consider this a strong message to use in future marketing campaigns.

3. Take time to review

1. Understand your audience It’s easy to pour money into newspaper, radio or even Google advertising without knowing if you’re going to reach your target market. Every community is different, so it’s essential to take the time to work out the best way to connect to the community that you do business in.

Often, it seems like the most difficult question is what platform you should use – newspaper, radio, Facebook etc. However, once you’ve made the effort to determine where your audience is, this question can answer itself.

An example: In a regional community with a thriving interest in sports, sponsoring the local football or bowls makes sense. In a metropolitan area where people spend more time assessing businesses online, Google and Facebook might be a better option.

2. Tailor your message Some people are sensitive to price. Others want to protect their family from the financial burden of paying for their funeral.

Some want to maximise their social security benefits. With such different motivations, it’s easy to see how a ‘one size fits all’

It’s easy to think that the marketing job is done after the advertisement is run or the sponsorship invoice is paid. However, without taking time to review the success – or lack thereof – of any marketing efforts, it’s impossible to refine and improve.

At the end of any marketing campaign, take some time to sit down and consider whether it was successful. Ask current prepaid clients how they found out about you – can you trace any of them back to your recent marketing efforts?

Try and figure out what worked and what didn’t, because this information will be invaluable in getting the most out of your next marketing project.

So, while the new year offers us more ways to reach clients than ever before, the core principles of marketing haven’t changed.

If you can understand your audience, deliver a relevant message and learn from what works – and what doesn’t – then I’m sure 2018 will be a productive year.

By Michael Easton Foresters Friendly Society T: 03 9326 6000 E: michaele@forestersfs.com.au W: www.forestersfs.com.au

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Your Goodbye

Benefits for Your Business

The AFDA Your Goodbye campaign has made marketing a whole lot easier for our business and given us the opportunity to evaluate and improve how we describe and offer the unique services that we do – a step at a time.

T

hanks to the Your Goodbye campaign developed by the AFDA, our family business in the Macedon Ranges of Victoria, has been able to implement a seamless strategy which brings together the most important elements of what we do – help people share their stories.

It’s what we do best and, in our competitive, price-sensitive industry, it is our point of difference.

When Dr Alan Wolfelt spoke at the AFDA National Convention in March last year about funeral directors being the ‘gatekeepers of story’ it made me aware that the simple things we offer families, in addition to the ‘standard’ services, should be what we promote and market the most. That is our sense of belonging to a community and our ability to help them bring out their stories. Your Goodbye just gave me the tools to formalise what we, as well as most of you, already do.

When I first looked at the Your Goodbye resources, information and collateral available to us as AFDA Members, the hardest thing was knowing where to start, so it has been stepby-step, as we introduced different elements of the program. As I look back on the past months and see how easy it has been to incorporate Your Goodbye into our everyday language I keep finding new ways to utilise its presence.

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families. It is a softly, softly approach that is palatable to even those who DON’T want to talk funerals. In these situations we talk about the importance of sharing stories and the gift it is for your loved ones to share your own.

I have also been invited to community events and groups to talk about funerals and choices etc. and have found the response to this is much easier for people to ask about than ‘prepaids’ even though I link the two specifically. The first one was at a community event organised by the local shire with myself, one of the local doctors and a palliative care nurse with the specific topic of ‘dying

ever received from a print campaign and I think our staff were sick of the calls after 2 weeks!

Small but significant changes include: • Adding the Your Goodbye email signature to all email correspondence • Adding the Your Goodbye logo to our preplanning correspondence • Sharing the Your Goodbye Facebook posts through our Facebook Page (such an easy way to have a social media presence especially when you are a sporadic social media user like myself!)

to know’ an open forum if you like to ask questions. I deliberately only took 2 of each We first began with the ‘tangibles’ the things our client families can see and feel. We organised, through Belinda Crossingham at Firehawk, to have the Your Goodbye and Your Story booklets professionally printed with our branding. They also organised our T J Scott & Son branded pull-up Your Goodbye Banner.

book and after my introductory session,

These booklets and banner are on display in our foyer of our chapel and have been taken to every sponsorship opportunity we have had since. When we attend a sponsored Golf or Bowls day to present trophies our banner and booklets are with us. I have received great feedback in these situations when we briefly talk about how the booklets are a great tool for

are incredibly popular and being weekly and

invited those who would like them to let me know and I would personally send them out the following day (just so I could gauge the interest and initiative to follow up). More than half of the attendees requested our ‘preplanning information kit’ to be sent out to them (which included the Your Goodbye & Your Story Booklets).

In our community the local ‘free’ Newspapers and Community Newsletters monthly publications, we have updated our presence in these with a Your Goodbye focus, again with Belinda and the team co-branding specifically designed print collateral as each of these were due for renewal. Our first Your Goodbye print ad was a half-page, with a beautifully designed image and the offer to send or email you complimentary copies of the booklets. We were given an accompanying half-page editorial which strengthened the launch and the response was the best we had

• Adding information about Your Goodbye on all our preplanning templates, so it is included in the first introductory letter and again in concluding letter.

In the coming 12 months I will be: • Updating and reprinting our in-house information booklets and adding several Your Goodbye references and images to these.

• Updating our website graphics to include a Your Goodbye Banner and information pages are to be updated to reflect this.

• Rewriting and designing our Preplanning Information Brochure which will feature Your Goodbye throughout, with a specific email contact so I can gauge response to this element.

• Contacting local service and community groups and offer information sessions with a focus on ‘sharing your story’ and be more proactive now we have a much stronger presence incorporated into our business.

Whatever the size of our businesses, we all get caught up in the ‘doing’ and ‘responding’ – we are a service industry after all and often it’s the brand-building we take for granted with the reputation of the level of service we provide. The AFDA Your Goodbye campaign has made marketing a whole lot easier for our business and given us the opportunity to evaluate and improve how we describe and offer the unique services that we do – a step at a time.

By Kelly Scott T J Scott & Son T: 03 5422-6455 E: kelly@tjscottandson.com.au W: www.tjscottandson.com.au

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W T Howard Celebrates Funerals 95 Years Over the past one hundred years funerals have changed a lot and so has the way people want to say goodbye and we are committed to helping families do that in a way that really matters to them.

In the early days, horse-drawn funeral carriages were used. WT then introduced the first motorised hearse to the district; this was a T Model Ford, which he modified himself.

Parts of the original horse stables are still in use to this day to house our second hearse.

WT Howard passed away in April 1964, ownership was then passed to next generation family members who continued to maintain and operate the business until 2002. The business was sold to the Coulter family who owned WT Howard Funerals for a relatively short 3 years and then sold again to Terry and Elaine Miller until purchased by the current owners in late 2015.

The main building has been renovated over the years to its current design, evolving into a modern funeral home in its original location, equiped with modern office, private meeting and viewing rooms, upgraded refrigeration/mortuary facilities and a large undercover area for our fleet of vehicles and discreet transfer of deceased.

W

T Howard Funerals was established in 1922 by William Thomas Howard and serviced a large area from Bulahdelah to Port Macquarie and inland to Gloucester. The business began its operations at 5 Flett Street, Taree, where William Thomas was a builder/carpenter, he was also making coffins for other funeral directors of the time. WT saw a need or opportunity and established WT Howard Funerals in October 1922.

want to say goodbye and we are committed to helping families do that in a way that really matters to them. We encourage people to openly discuss end of life concerns with us.

In addition to our Taree office we also have an office equipped with a private meeting room at 25 Manning Street, Tuncurry from where we look after families in the Great Lakes and we have a representative in the Gloucester region.

Families have trusted WT Howard Funerals with the care of their loved ones for ninety six years and this tradition continues today.

Trust has been and still is an important part of our business and we have been building on this philosophy for almost a century. Families throughout the Manning, Great Lakes and Gloucester have trusted us for generations and to us as a business and as individuals this is a privilege and an honour that is impossible to put into words.

WT Howard has been the market leader in the Manning, Great Lakes and Gloucester regions, the Coulter family introduced improved graveside settings, providing comfort for mourners with waterproof gazebos, chairs, sound equipment, grass matting and lowering devices, other funeral directors then began to follow our lead. WT Howard Funerals continues to provide these conveniences and more for mourners – it’s about attending to the smallest of details.

Our philosophy is that it’s all about the families and their wishes and when the time comes, helping those who are left behind say goodbye in a way that truly honours the memory of their loved one is our priority. We humbly and sincerely thank the families of the Manning, Great Lakes and Gloucester for entrusting us with their loved ones, a privilege that we don’t take lightly and we look forward to the next ninety six years.

By WT Howard Funerals T: 02 6552 1057 E: admin@wthowardfunerals.com.au W: www.wthowardfunerals.com.au

Over the past one hundred years funerals have changed a lot and so has the way people 15

BOSTON

NFDA International Convention & Expo

the increasing trend of NSNA dispositions is harmful to our businesses and the families we serve, so be prepared to stand up and answer the question about the value we bring. Don’t make assumptions about what our families know and give them the time they deserve.

Having moved to Brisbane to take over the reins of a new funeral home, Mike’s advice couldn’t have come at a better time for us.

We operate in an extremely competitive market and we have to be ready to answer the question “How much does it cost?”

You have to be prepared, and frame your response, treating callers as ‘Information Seekers’ rather than ‘Price Shoppers.’ What value do I offer and what differentiates me from my competitors?

Many of the sessions were focused on digital marketing and how to navigate the

W

ith over 6,000 attendees, including 2,000 exhibitor representatives, I wasn’t sure what to expect when I arrived in Boston for the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) Convention in October last year.

Turns out an open mind is all that is required.

This was a week of learning, networking and appreciation for the industry we are privileged enough to be involved in. Thanks to Foresters Friendly Society and the AFDA, I was attending as the 2017 AFDA scholarship recipient. We made the decision that it was important for my husband and business partner, Don to also attend. Registering and collecting our information packs, we wondered how we would ever make our way through the numerous education sessions and 381 Expo sites. We needn’t have worried. The NFDA launched a fantastic phone App which allowed us to preview sessions the night before and 16

plan our time effectively. It felt a bit like house hunting and deciding which open homes we would attend! This is when it was so valuable to have two of us who could split up and then pool our knowledge.

various generations we deal with. So how do we get our value statements across using the technologies they like to use?

For example the Zoomers are the 50+ age group and 82% of them belong to at least one social media platform. They like to be ‘consulted’ while the Gen X’ers (37-50) like us to be their ‘partner.’ These are subtle differences and I’m still working out what that means for everyday conversations.

Either way, it means we have to combine our value statements with the appropriate technologies to hit the mark.

2. What we do for our families after the funeral can be just as important as Generally the mornings were filled with before the funeral. attending education sessions and visiting Expo sites in the afternoon. We also Another area that we found visited the Della Russo Funeral extremely valuable was focused Home in Medford and Mount on aftercare. We learnt that Auburn Cemetery, just West This was a week of having a structured Aftercare of Boston. learning, networking Plan of Action (APOA) helps and appreciation for keep us focused on this In trying to collate all the industry we are area. It’s easy to focus on we had learnt, there were a privileged enough to what needs to be done couple of major takeaways: before and on the day of the be involved in.

1. All the technology in funeral. But because things the world won’t help us happen so quickly staying in be successful, if we don’t touch can be seen as a low priority understand and promote the value and in doing so, we miss an opportunity we offer to our families. to further strengthen our relationships.

Nancy Weil, Director of Grief Support at One of the best sessions we attended was Veterans Funeral Care says that caring for delivered by Mike Watkins, Vice President of our families in a structured way after the The Signature Group. He talked about how funeral can strengthen those families, and we position ourselves in our communities. ultimately strengthen our business. Grief We need to think of ourselves as experts in is lonely and aftercare programs help our our community and act accordingly. Being families realise they are not alone.

Funeral Directors comes with responsibility – both to educate and add value. We know

Four key strengths are needed to excel in aftercare: • Compassion • Events Management • Creativity • Graphic Design Of course as well as these, we need funeral home owners and managers to lead from the top – demonstrating that caring for our families after the funeral is a priority!

So what exactly is an APOA? Every little step helps. Don’t try and be all things to all people.

An APOA is a simple blueprint of what you are going to do to

support families after the funeral and in what timeframe. This could be anniversary cards, holding remembrance services and offering grief support programs. But also think outside the box. What about something different – hosting Death Cafes, organising field trips, potluck dinners, workshops to talk about massage or shiatsu – basically anything that involves participation. You are limited only by your imagination.

AFDA Scholarship The 2017 AFDA Scholarship question focused on how technology will change the face of funerals in the coming years. While at the Convention, I spoke to many people to discuss this. I also asked people to complete a survey and I look forward to sharing these results at the AFDA Convention in March.

In summary, being part of the 2017 NFDA Convention & Expo in Boston was amazing.

The Expo displayed the latest products and services available all in one place – something you would only experience at an event this size. We had a strong contingent from AFDA Australia and in true Aussie spirit, we got out and mingled with everyone. We made some wonderful friends and continue to share our ideas across the continents. What a thrilling opportunity. Thank you so much to Foresters Friendly Society and the AFDA for offering this award and I encourage all of you to consider applying when it is next available.

By Karen Blue Compassionate Funerals Queensland T: 1300 552 987 E: karen@compassionatefunerals.com.au W: www.compassionatefunerals.com.au

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Global Trends

In the Funeral Industry

People change their views and lifestyle influenced by global cultural and consumption trends.

M

ulticulturalism and cosmopolitanism are to some extent manifestations of cultural globalisation. Communities are less insulated than ever in history, even those who cannot travel can have today a good understanding of other cultures and meet virtually people from other parts of the world. People change their views and lifestyle influenced by global cultural and consumption trends.

FIAT-IFTA, the World Organisation of Funeral Operatives, fosters local and national funeral businesses and also embraces globalisation. The vision of FIAT-IFTA for the future of the funeral industry has been formed from feedback from FIAT-IFTA’s National Members who represent the Unions or Associations of Funeral Directors of their country. Some of the outlooks for the future from FIATIFTA members are highlighted below.

• China The core idea of China’s funeral industry is to provide service for the dead and improve service quality for the family.

While Chinese funerals differ in that they follow either Buddhist or Christian practices, burial has been the preferred option,

though this is changing. Burial is fast being caught up by cremation, particularly in the big cities. Of the about 10 million deaths each year, just under 50 per cent are cremated, and that number is growing.

The Chinese government always respects historical and cultural heritage, and values the unique ethnic funeral customs, it spares no effort to promote the reform of the funeral business. It greatly advocates cremation while actively exploring better storage and disposal methods of ashes, ecological burial such as tree burials, sea burials and deep burials that will save land and energy, and protect the environment.

• France France is probably one of the countries where funeral services are the most regulated.

In France, to do their job, the funeral provider must obtain authorisation from the Prefecture.

This authorisation is obtained in relation to the capacity of the operator (vehicles, buildings) and to the professional education obtained by the employees of the funeral home (210 hours of compulsory training).

The market has been growing steadily for the past four or five years, and is expected to accelerate as baby boomers die. The peak is expected around 2040 with more than 730,000 deaths. The high predictability is attracting new large investment funds seeking growth sectors, strong cash flow generators, and low volatility.

• Germany About 872,000 people died in Germany in 2015. The death rate is nearly 1.1%, with an estimated 45% burials and 55% cremations.

Over the past twenty years, the cremation rate increased tremendously, and is expected to continue that trend, though more slowly.

By law, deceased persons or their ashes must be buried or entombed in a cemetery.

Germany has about 33,000 cemeteries, two-thirds of which are administered by cities and municipalities, and one-third by church communities, and 164 crematories.

The German ‘dual education system’ is unique and successful and serves as a model for the funeral sector in many other countries. The nationwide uniform training and education program is organised by the German National Association. There are different qualifications, for example, qualified funeral home employee, qualified mortician (funeral director), certified embalmer or certified cremation technician. Education and training represent one part of quality assurance; the other part is standardisation through the EN 15017 Funeral Services, a European-wide norm for the funeral profession and a certification system based on ISO 9008:2008 for funeral homes. These will continuously be developed in the future.

By FIAT-IFTA E: info@thanos.org.au W: www.thanos.org/en/page/home

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How to Educate About the Funeral Families Elements Keep in mind that your role is to create a meaningful, informed ‘choice’ menu of possibilities for each family you serve and educate them about the elements along the way.

“A teacher affects eternity: he can never tell where his influence stops.”

— Henry Adams

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e’ve come to the end of this article series on why we use each of the common elements of funerals and the importance of using most or all of them to create a transformative ceremony. Throughout Parts One through Nine, we covered each of

the elements shown in this heart tapestry as well as one additional article on the role of the body of the person who has died.

Along the way, I’ve provided you with a refresher about how each of the elements of the funeral ceremony contributes to the purposes of the funeral shown in the pyramid graphic – reality, recall, support, expression, meaning, and transcendence.

My hope is that you and your staff will find ways to integrate the rationales for each of the funeral elements into your arrangement process. Many of the families you serve lack an understanding of and appreciation for funerals, and they need and deserve education about the elements of funerals before they can make informed choices about the funeral they are planning.

Note that I am not suggesting you change your entire arrangement conference. Rather, I am suggesting that as you step through the funeral planning with the family, you take a few extra minutes here and there to offer education and orientation.

20

Families who don’t have a time of visitation often find that the community believes they don’t want support or acknowledgment.”

After you’ve spoken very briefly about the role of visitation, you would then stop talking

why we have funerals and why we use each of the elements, I hope you’ll email me (see contact details below). I would like to share your real-world questions, comments, and examples.

Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D., is a respected author, educator, and consultant to funeral service. He advocates for the value of meaningful funeral experiences in his death education workshops across North America each year.

and allow them to respond or ask questions.

After this short dialogue about visitation, you would honor their choice.

You can follow this dialogue model with every single element of the ceremony.

Educate, inform, then honor the family’s choice. This gives them the opportunity to make a TRANSFORMATION – i.e, “a decision that is good for them.”

Use your helping skills as you teach. Let’s say you’ve asked the family what kind of visitation they’d like and they’ve told you they don’t want one. “Our mom was 89,” they’ve said. “We don’t need a visitation.”

First, restate their answer to confirm that you respect what they’ve said. You might say, “So you’re thinking that because your mother was elderly, a visitation isn’t necessary, is that right?”

Then ask their permission to talk about the role of the visitation. You might say, “Do you mind if I tell you a little about why many families receive friends before the service?”

I can hear some arrangers protesting, “But I already have so much to do!” This is where you need to remember that you are serving many people who are skeptical about you and unfamiliar with the value of funerals. You must establish the value of each of the elements to even have the potential of creating a meaningful funeral.

By Dr Alan Wolfelt E: drwolfelt@centerforloss.com

Role play with your staff common

W: www.centerforloss.com

arrangement sticking points and objections.

Remember that your job is not to get families to change their minds but rather to educate and then honor their choices.

Gone are the days when you could simply ask an at-need family, “Do you want a visitation?” or “What music would you like?” or “Do you want to go to the grave?” Instead you must proactively attempt to teach families the value of each of these elements

of ceremony. Because if they don’t learn, you If they say yes, you would will continue to see trends in which people then, in your own words, talk a either eliminate or subvert the elements, bit about the role of and types making it increasingly unlikely that they will of visitation, emphasising that create the “sweet spot of experience” for the the visitation signals to the funeral they are planning. community that they Remember, to exist into the are invited to future requires that you realise reality, participate in the you are not a functionary funeral process recall, (i.e., someone who just and that you support, gets the family through the welcome their

expression, process and then moves on support. You meaning, and to the next family), you are might say, a facilitator (i.e., someone transcendence “When you have who “makes easier” a difficult a visitation, you time through the creation of a make a statement meaningful funeral). Keep in mind to your community and that your role is to create a meaningful, your mother’s community that informed “choice” menu of possibilities for you need and want their support.

The visitation is a way for friends, family members, neighbors, and caregivers to follow their instinct to let you know they care about you or cared about your mother.

This article series is excerpted from his workbook for funeral home staff entitled Educating the Families You Serve about the WHY of the Funeral. He has also written many bestselling books and other resources on grief for both caregivers and grieving people. For more information visit www.centerforloss.com

each family you serve and educate them about the elements along the way.

If you have specific experiences,

This concludes the ten-part article series in the Journal from Dr Alan Wolfelt on why we have funerals and the elements that make up a meaningful funeral ceremony. The tenpart series has included articles on: • Why We Have Funerals and the Elements They are Made Of • Why We Have Visitations • Why the Body Should be Present • Why We Use Music For Funerals • Why We Have Readings at Funerals • Why We Have Eulogies at Funerals • Why We Have Symbols in Funerals • Why We Use Actions in Funerals • Why We Have Gatherings After Funerals • How to Educate Families About the Funeral Elements

challenges, or successes with educating the families you serve and your community about 21

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Wes Heritage

Member Profile

AFDA National Councillor QLD Divisional President

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he Heritage Family have been funeral directors since March 1934, and on 5 January 2018, Wes Heritage bought

up his own milestone of 30 years as a funeral director.

Wes grew up living at the family funeral home at Healesville, in the beautiful Yarra

“I have really enjoyed being an active member

Valley. His father Keith Heritage OAM and his uncle Robbie Heritage owned the business.

Wes was always destined to end up in the

of the AFDA for my

family business, trimming coffins, washing

entire time in funeral

cars and helping on transfers since he was 12

service. From the friends I made going to the AFDA’s Summer School in 1991, the

years old.

When Wes started full time employment as a funeral director it was on the 5 January 1988 with Le Pine Funeral Services who had purchased Frank Heritage and Sons and

many state and national

renamed the business Le Pine Heritage Funeral

conferences and

Services. Past National President of the AFDA

meetings, to my years

Mr Phillip Campbell had honored a promise he had made to Keith at the time of the sale,

on state and national

to offer his son work when he finished his

councils.”

schooling.

Keith Heritage encouraged Wes to gain as much experience as possible about funeral service, with the support of Le Pines he was sent to work full time at W.G Apps and Son’s in St Kilda, William Garnar’s in Dandenong, Roderick McKenzie’s in South Melbourne and John Fergusons in Thornbury (all companies that made up the Le Pine business empire).

Even doing a three month stint with the Great Southern Funeral Group in London in the late 80’s.

“I loved the opportunity to travel around Melbourne and meet all the characters that made up the Le Pines team in those days. Fond memories, especially of receiving lectures from Jack Apps on how funerals should be done.”

Service Corporation International Australia bought Le Pine Funeral Services and new opportunities opened up for Wes who was given an opportunity to manage parts of their Gold Coast Operation. Wes moved to the Gold Coast with his wife Tanya in June 1995.

In October 1997 Wes commenced his funeral business at Burleigh Heads, after a few months his brother Ashley joined him in partnership and the business has enjoyed solid growth over the past 20 years. Heritage Brothers Funeral Services have funeral homes in Burleigh Heads, Tweed Heads and their Crematorium and Memorial Gardens at Melaleuca Station, Chinderah, Northern NSW. “We have grown Heritage Brothers with a commitment to be active within our community, sponsoring active people and groups, from sporting clubs to community ...continued on page 25 23

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...continued from page 23 organisations. It’s been simple really, Ashley’s a golfer, so we sponsor golf, we both love horse

for my entire time in funeral service. From the friends I made going to the AFDA’s Summer School in 1991, the many state and national conferences and meetings, to my years on state and national councils”

racing so we sponsor it, our boys play AFL so we sponsor it. The same stuff good funeral directors do the country over.”

Wes is an active member of the AFDA, currently serving as the Queensland Divisional President (for the second time), and as a National Councillor, he is also a Past National President.

The reward for 30 years of commitment to funeral service and his community has seen Wes, and his wife Tanya and family, able to follow interests in travel and horse racing with regular visits to the United States to watch NFL Games and visit favourite places like Las Vegas, “But if it was easy, Nashville and Memphis. everyone would be The search for a champion doing it.” racehorse continues still!

“I have really enjoyed being an active member of the AFDA

Wes doesn’t think the fourth generation of funeral directors is coming from his children. Leah is at University doing Nursing, with interests in women’s health and Marcus finished year 12 in 2017 and has began a career in the Horse Racing Industry

working with the Hayes Family at Lindsay Park, Euroa.

It hasn’t all been plain sailing for Heritage Brothers Funeral Services. In March 2017 a huge flood affected the Northern Rivers part of NSW. This flood severely damaged the Melaleuca Station Memorial Gardens and Crematorium. Three months without being able to trade, was followed by a period of staff instability and 2018 commenced with a car crashing into the front of their Burleigh Heads Funeral Home.

“I’d say the past 10 months have been the toughest in business by far. The floods, are a nightmare to deal with, the clean-up feels endless. However, the funeral industry reached out and supports you and the community that you are part of, turns up in great numbers to clean and help. It was really overwhelming.”

“The funeral industry has changed enormously over the past thirty years.

However, the basics are still there, if you look after families well, and honestly, the bottom line still takes care of itself. Technology, direct cremation, multiculturalism, funeral insurance products, and families who are from poorer socio-economic backgrounds, who still deserve a chance to say a dignified farewell, all create challenges for funeral directors and always will.”

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Association News STATE CORONERS OFFICE The Division continues to work with the State Coroners Office to affect a formal policy for the management of deceased’s clothing and possessions on repatriation to funeral directors.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Tasmanian Division

MAY TRAINING DAY An industry training day is scheduled to be held in Hobart on Friday 25 May 2018 and the Division will hold its 2018 AGM at Freycinet Lodge on 10-12 August. The hygiene and infection control training event scheduled to be held in Hobart in early November 2017 was cancelled due to lack of registrations.

The Councillors acknowledge that scheduling training on a Saturday did make it hard for people to commit to. In this instance, the training was scheduled to meet Jeff Chancellor’s availability.

PETER FUGLSANG MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP Nominations for the 2018 Peter Fuglsang Memorial Scholarship will open on 26 March. The Peter Fuglsang Memorial Scholarship is a prestigious scholarship that is a fitting memorial for Peter Fuglsang and provides an opportunity for the successful applicant to receive a complimentary registration and accommodation to attend the 2018 Tasmanian Division AGM at Freycinet Lodge in August.

PRESCRIBED BUSINESS REGISTER The Division continues to assist the Department of Premier and Cabinet to maintain and update its Prescribed Business Register. A regular review process for this register is important to ensure that Tasmanian funeral industry businesses meet the legislative requirements, particularly in relation to standards of operation and management of prepaid funerals.

26

On behalf of the Division, Councillor Peter Vincent attended the official opening of the Fairy Godmothers Inc. Pregnancy and Infant Loss Memorial Wall at the Burnie Lawn Cemetery Reserve on 22 November. The Fairy Godmothers Inc is a not for profit, voluntary, organisation that provides support to families of children with disabilities, special needs and medical conditions across Tasmania.

Victorian Division BDM ONLINE SYSTEM The new Registry Information Online (RIO) System for Birth Deaths and Marriages is scheduled for launch in June 2018. Training and user acceptance testing is scheduled to start from April 2018. Further information including dates and times for these sessions will be provided closer to the time.

GMCT CM3 TERMS AND CONDITIONS The Terms and Conditions for GMCT’s new Cm3 process have not yet been released. This is planned to be a plain language document outlining the rights and responsibilities of all parties that consolidates GMCT’s policies and procedures. Feedback on this document will be sought from AFDA Members.

The introduction of Cm3 will be staged with separate timelines and due dates for registration into the system and for gaining qualification once the required training and paperwork have been completed. It is anticipated that Funeral Directors will be required to complete the registration

requirement sometime in early 2018. A date for completion of the qualification requirement is not available as yet.

GMCT has advised that they will invite ADFA Members to attend the Cm3 information sessions.

WORKCOVER INSURANCE PREMIUMS

final quarter of 2017. A warm thank you is extended to guest speaker Karen Philippzig from The Compassionate Friends Victoria (TCFV) for AFDA National her presentations on her Office has written experience of the funeral to the WorkCover industry following the Authority to request death of her daughter and clarification on the her insights on the funeral funeral industry experience. Each of the WorkCover premium 2017 Zone Meetings provided rates a good educational and networking opportunity for all of the members in attendance.

Several Victorian Divisional Councillors have noted that their WorkCover insurance premium has risen this year. This may be due to industry factors and underwriting issues at the WorkCover Authority. AFDA National Office has written to the WorkCover Authority to request clarification on the funeral industry WorkCover premium rates and to request information about the types of claims WorkCover is receiving from the industry.

ZONE MEETINGS The Division held successful Zone Meetings in Bendigo, Wangaratta and Sale in the

NSW / ACT Division

JOINT GENERAL MEETING WITH CCA NSW The roadshow training focusing on ‘Funerals Tomorrow and Beyond’ with Martin Tobin has concluded with successful sessions held at John Bance & Son Funeral Home in Wagga Wagga in November and Olsens Funerals in Sydney in March. The Division will again hold a joint general meeting with CCA NSW in 2018.

This event is scheduled for Friday 11 May at the Park Royal Hotel in Parramatta. The 2018 AGM Weekend which will be a joint event with the QLD Division and will be held at the Royal Pines Resort on 27-29 July.

CEMETERIES AND CREMATORIA AMENDMENT REGULATION 2017 The Divisional Council have made a submission to Cemeteries and Crematoria NSW on the Public consultation draft of the Cemeteries and Crematoria Amendment Regulation 2017. The Division also

The dates scheduled for the 2018 Zone Meetings are included on the 2018 AFDA Calendar of Events and the Members section of the AFDA website. The first event for the year was held in Colac (SW) on 28 February.

The next events will be held on 18 April in Bendigo (combined NW/NE) and on 6 June in Traralgon (Gippsland). Further information for each of these events will be available closer to the dates. The 2018 VIC Division AGM will be held on 24-26 August at the Stamford Plaza in Adelaide as a joint event with the SA/NT Division.

acknowledged and endorsed the submission made by CCA NSW. Much of this consultation draft is concerned with Renewable Interment Rights (RIRs). Amongst the points raised in the AFDA submission, clear reassurance has been sought that this legislation is neither mandatory nor retrospective. AFDA has recommended that this be the case and has suggested that a successful outcome will rely on this approach being kept as simple as is possible.

ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH BRANCH ISSUES The Divisional Council has written to the Minster for Innovation and Better Regulation to raise a number of issues which have not been satisfactorily resolved by the Environmental Health Branch and which are now influencing the effectiveness of the funeral industry. These include: • Simple definitions for the terms Senior Next of Kin (SNOK) and Immediate Next of Kin • Clear governance structures for release of deceased from hospital morgues and nursing homes • Clarification on whether guardianship and/or power of attorney ceases at death 27

and whether the executor then assumes responsibility for nomination of further care for the deceased

MEDICAL REFEREES

The Public Health Unit released the latest Registers of appointed Medical Referees in December 2017.

• A notification or reporting These are available on the process for the management South Eastern Sydney Local of a foetus/embryo less Health District (SESLHD) The Divisional than 20 weeks old. website. The Unit has again Council has written asked that you check the to the Department of CONTRACT 622: Registers to ensure that Justice...

REMOVAL OF any medical practitioner DECEASED REMAINS you request to complete a The Divisional Council has Cremation Certificate is an written to the Department of appointed Medical Referee. If you Justice to raise concerns regarding are aware that a Medical Referee has the current and projected parameters for retired or has relocated, please notify Sarah Contract 622: Removal of Deceased Remains.

Kleinitz at the AFDA National Office on 03 The Department of Justice is yet to announce 9859 9966 or divisions@afda.org.au for the the timeline for this tender. Once available, information to be passed on to the Public the tender documents will be published Health Unit. on the Department of Justice eTendering website.

Queensland Division

NEW MEMBERS We would like to welcome our latest new members Max Wheat from Premier Funerals who are located at Oxley and Currimundi and David and Penny Levi from Generation Funerals who are located at Bundaberg and Kingaroy.

... two very interesting topics for discussion ‘Avoiding Burnout’ and ‘Leading in Challenging Times’

APRIL GENERAL MEETING The General Meeting weekend will be held on 13-14 April 2018 at the Brisbane Riverview Hotel. The speakers will be Liz Crowe, an Advanced Clinician Social Worker who has worked extensively for 20 years with individuals, families and children impacted by grief, loss, trauma, crisis and bereavement and Cody Morrow, 28

who is the Operations Manager from SuperCare.

Liz will be presenting two very interesting topics for discussion ‘Avoiding Burnout’ and ‘Leading in Challenging Times’. Cody will explain how SuperCare facilitates the Early Release of Superannuation Application process (via the Departmet of Human Services) to pay for funeral and memorialisation costs so that the family can focus on providing their loved one with the funeral they deserve.

The joint AGM Weekend with the NSW/ACT Division will be held at the Royal Pines Resort on 27-29 July 2017.

CORONERS COURT In May 2017, the Department of Justice and Attorney-General (DJAG) called for Expressions of Interest (EOI) to offer state-wide services for: • The conveyance of deceased persons under the Coroners Act 2003; and

• The burial or cremation of deceased persons under the Burials Assistance Act 1965.

This EOI process generated a very positive response in identifying and qualifying suitable suppliers to perform these services across nominated local government area (LGA) boundaries. For eight of the LGA boundary areas however, the market did not respond as anticipated, leaving some service delivery gaps. An Invitation to Offer (ITO) was released on 29 November 2017 to the open market via the QTenders website for the above

Western Australian Division

boundaries and offers for both conveyancing and burial/cremation services was requested.

Offers for the contract have now closed and as part of this procurement tender process individual suppliers have been notified of the outcome. The proposed commencement date for Standing Offer Arrangements (SOA) for these boundaries is 1 February 2018 for an initial term of three years with the possibility of a further one x 2 year extension period.

FIRST AID AND MANUAL HANDLING TRAINING A successful Mortuary Training Day was held at Purslowe Tinetti in Northam on Saturday 17 February. 18 Members participated in Beginner and Intermediate Training. A first Aid and Manual Handling Full Training Day will be held on Saturday 13 July in Perth. Further information will be provided closer to the date. The 2018 Divisional AGM will be held at Crown Perth on 8-9 September.

CERT III AND IV COURSES IN FUNERAL SERVICES South Regional TAFE has advised AFDA that the fees for the Cert III and IV courses in Funeral Services through recognition of prior learning (RPL) have been reduced to $65 per unit. South Regional TAFE is encouraging applications from people currently working in the funeral industry in WA that can satisfactorily complete the required units by the end of this year or within 3 months from the sign up date. An RPL pack is available from South Regional TAFE to assist you and your staff to understand the RPL course requirements and begin the process of collecting the RPL evidence before signing up. A further information sheet is available from Tara Nietrzeba at South Regional TAFE by contacting 08 9780 7283 / 0437 788 739 or tara.nietrzeba@srtafe.wa.edu.au.

REGULATION OF PREPAID FUNERAL FUNDS Matthew Kavanagh who is a Senior Policy Advisor to Mick Murray the Minister for Seniors and Ageing attended the WA Divisional Council meeting in March to discuss AFDA’s support for the McGowan Government’s intention to develop a mandatory code of practice for prepaid funeral plan investment.

GOVERNMENT SUBMISSIONS WA Divisional Council made a submission to the WA Department of Treasury in response to the Coronial Investigations 90-day project DRAFT report. In late December, Members of the Council met with the Manager Economic Policy at the WA Department of Treasury to further discuss the matters raised in this submission. There will be a further meeting with the State Coroner’s Office and PathWest Forensic Laboratories later in 2018.

The Division also made a submission to the WA Department of Health in response to their discussion paper, Management of public health risks associated with morgues in Western Australia.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT Late last year, President Garry Russell and Councillor Adrian Barrett attended Palliative Care WA Symposiums in Perth and Bunbury respectively. These Symposiums are designed to provide a shared understanding of the concept and key principles of Compassionate Communities and gauge the level of interest and capacity to develop this model in WA. In January, President Garry Russell and Bernadine Brierty (Treasurer) met with Lifeline WA to build a greater understanding between our organisations. Lifeline WA shared their understanding that those who are bereaved can find it hard to obtain counselling services, especially in regional areas.

29

Bendigo Funeral Bond Australian Friendly Society has been caring for the financial needs of Australians since 1969.

The Bendigo Funeral Bond is a thoughtful and practical legacy designed to provide peace of mind and consideration for family and friends during a difficult time.

Caring.

Thoughtful.

Practical.

You can rely on our friendly team to deliver: • Courteous, prompt and knowledgeable service • A competitive and flexible product • Personal conversations that place the needs of you and your customer first.

A funeral bond or a pre-paid funeral may help customers qualify for pension assets test exemptions. To learn more about the changes, contact Centrelink or the Department of Veterans’ Affairs for more information.

To find out more about the Bendigo Funeral Bond, please call 1800 803 173 to speak to one of our friendly staff.

australianfriendlysociety.com.au The Bendigo Funeral Bond is issued by Australian Friendly Society (AFS) Limited ABN 29 087 648 851 AFSL 247028 and administered by Sandhurst Trustees Limited ABN 16 004 030 737 AFSL 237906 a subsidiary of Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Limited ABN 11 068 049 178 AFSL 23789. (S56135) (10/16)

South Australian / NT Division

INDUSTRY FORUM The annual Industry Forum and Christmas drinks held at Morphettville Racecourse is proving to be popular with over 50 guests in attendance. It was agreed however to change the venue next year to provide some variety and to look at providing a more interactive and fun social event after the forum. Guest presenters all provided an informative update on their recent activities with sponsors also invited to do the same. visit is

A regional planned in Wallaroo on the weekend of 18-20 May. Members and sponsors are invited to attend...

A highlight was the presentation from David Cowell on the Adelaide Plains Council’s recent introduction of some guidelines to follow for all parties involved in burial of human remains on private property.

This proved to be very informative and members are welcome to contact Marie Cunningham to attain a copy of the guideline documentation.

A Planning Meeting was held for the first time in a number of years to set the 2018 schedule

of events and to take some considerable time to plan the education program, with a focus on providing additional training throughout the year.

A regional visit is planned in Wallaroo on the weekend of 18-20 May. Members and sponsors are invited to attend with a site visit and social activities being planned. In August we welcome the Victorian Division to Adelaide to attend the combined AGM weekend and Presidential changeover ceremonies on 24-26 August.

CORONERS TRANSFERS Liaison is occurring with the State Coroners Office on their revision of the Agreement for ‘Definitions and Procedures, SA Country Body Conveyance Services for the South Australian State Coroner.’ In particular around the transfer of larger persons and additional staffing required on some occasions.

LAUREL HOSPICE TRANSFERS Consultation is occurring with the Flinders Medical Centre’s new Hospice (Laurel Hospice) over the procedure for the transfer of deceased people as the arrangements are different given that it is a separate hospice.

Details will be advised to members once finalised.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SA/NT Executive Officer Marie Cunningham attended a Remembrance Day ceremony on Saturday 11 November 2017 at Centennial Park. The event was held under perfect weather conditions with strong representation from the Defence force and the general public. The ceremony itself was most moving.

Centennial Park held their Christmas function on 5 December inviting funeral directors to attend.

31

1

2

3

Why Choose Us? • We are available 24 hours/7 days to the Funeral Industry • We have 24 refrigerated custom-built transfer vehicles waiting to serve you • We transfer with utmost care and confidentiality • We own a registered, fully alarmed and monitored holding facility for your convenience • We are transferring daily from Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Cairns and Newcastle • All vehicles fitted with back to base satellite tracking 24/7 • We take care of the necessary documentation on your behalf.

Statewide Mortuary Transfers PTY. LTD.

‘From Our Care Into Your Care’

1300 368 155

Fax 02 9833 7300 P.O. Box 322 St. Clair NSW 2759 Email: steveanddonna@statewidetransfers.com.au

SYDNEY BRISBANE MELBOURNE CAIRNS NEWCASTLE

www.statewidetransfers.com.au

Industry

News AIE Report Changes to CPD As some Members are not able to attend conference every year or attend CPD meetings, it was agreed that the CPD points system be changed to an hours based system with a carryover of excess hours for the following year which together with CPD hours accumulated can be used for CPD accreditation for the following year.

Changes to Practising Membership It was also agreed to change the requirements for practising membership. Members will no longer need to submit 5 embalms to maintain practising status however a practising member must still meet the CPD requirements which will be based now on hours not points in the future. We recently introduced a new CPD multiple online question facility that can be used for accreditation designed to assist those members who by distance or by time cannot attend CPD meetings.

2018 AIE Scholarship This is an annual competition and is awarded to the applicant who, in the opinion of the AIE Board, successfully completes the best assignment on a topic announced by the AIE Board. The winner receives complimentary registration for attendance at the AIE Conference plus return economy airfare from the winners nearest capital city, and three night’s accommodation.

The Scholarship prize now

AIE Report ACCA Update

includes an additional $1,000 which will be given to the winner as a cash component of the overall prize. The topic for this year’s Scholarship essay is ‘How Embalming Can Help in the Grief Journey’ with applications closing on 30 March 2018. AFDA members are encouraged to support their staff who wish to enter.

2018 Annual Conference The 2018 AIE Conference and AGM will be held in Brisbane at the Brisbane Riverview Hotel on 11-14 October, with the AGM taking place at 9.00am on Saturday 13 October.

ACCA Update Well the festive season is done and dusted and we have all hit the ground running yet again to set the wheels in motion for another year of providing valuable training and information to our members.

Partnership with Australian Centre for Grief & Bereavement (ACGB) ACCA have partnered with the ACGB to develop industry specific training in the areas of Grief, Bereavement, Self-Care, and also to develop strategies to assist industry staff to achieve the most positive outcomes from their interaction with bereaved families. The first training program will be delivered as a two-part webinar series. The ‘Introduction to Grief and Bereavement’, and the ‘Self-Care for You and Your staff’ programs will be available to all AFDA Members with registration information sent as soon as it is available.

Medtronics Transcatheter Devices & Cochlear Implants Controlled testing has been facilitated by representatives from the International Cremation Federation (ICF) and cremator

manufacturer Facultatieve Technology on the Medtronics Micro Transcatheter Device.

ACCA will receive data and information from this testing very soon and once it is received, we will share the findings with all industry stakeholders. There has also been a recent enquiry made to the ACCA office regarding Cochlear Implants and their suitability for cremation. We have received advice from Cochlear international that these implants are not required to be explanted from the deceased prior to cremation.

ACCA 2018 Mid-Year Seminar The ACCA Mid-Year Seminar will be held in Sydney on the 7-8 June 2018. This year the Seminar will focus on the importance of a team culture within the cemetery environment, safety and the importance of following agreed procedures, drug and alcohol awareness, self-care for client facing staff, and a visit to a cemetery for on-site demonstrations and facilitated group learning activities within the cemetery setting. All AFDA Members are welcome to send their staff to the Mid-Year Seminar as there will be many learning outcomes relevant to our entire sector.

ACCA 2018 Annual Conference The 2018 Annual ACCA Conference will be held in Brisbane between 7-10 October. This year the Annual Conference will look closely into the crystal ball of our industry by looking at the trends that impact on our sector and how we can best position our cemeteries, crematoria, and allied organisations into the future. Using specific demographic data on consumer trends, migration, religious, social and technological trends, we will unpack what this means for our industry. This will set the scene for structured and facilitated workshop sessions on future cemetery planning, with delegates grouped with other industry subject matter experts. Other sessions will include Community Networking and Engagement; Industry Disruptors, overseas industry observations and strategies on how we can meet shared challenges.

Darryl Thomas OAM ACCA President

35

Supplier

News

A Better Way to Present Caskets and Coffins

I

n 2014 I was asked to present a program on casket and coffin merchandising at the ACC Higgins Funeral Industry Leadership Forum. I spoke about the importance of the ‘Four P’s’ in retail merchandising and sales: Having the right Product, at the right Price, in the right Position, with the right Presentation. The title of my talk was “It’s all in the Presentation.” I named it that because, of these four components, I have always believed presentation was the most critical.

In the forty years I have worked with funeral directors all over the world, I have not found a more easy to use, professional and effective method of presenting caskets and coffins.

The presentation is so important in this industry because in selecting a burial or cremation container we could not be working with a buyer at a more difficult time. The family is in a place where they do not want to be, they are about to purchase a product that they do not want to buy and most likely, the only thing they know about these products is that they are expensive.

As purveyors of caskets and coffins, it is our responsibility to provide a selecting family with as much information as we can. It is not our role to pre-judge or lead the buyer to expensive or inexpensive products. We must explain the basic differences, answer questions and allow them to make the buying decision. After all, funeral containers may range from $995 to as much as $50,000 and the difference is not all eye appeal!

After working with and calling on funeral professionals in Australia for two years, I learned the basic presentation I had promoted and been successful with for the past 38 years was not as effective as I thought. I finally realised that funeral arrangers have a little bit more on their plate than just selling a coffin. I knew we needed to create an easy to use system that would guide the arranger and in turn the family through the process.

After consulting many funeral arrangers and members of our sales and marketing team at ACC Higgins we developed the ‘Diamond Merchandising System’.

or modified plan with agreed upon goals. If you have a selection room we use our three dimensional software ‘3Dreamit’ to make sure you have the products in the correct position.

But, it is the presentation segment that best reflects our learning over the past few years.

The Diamond Presenter gives you a very simple, easy to use electronic presentation system. It is ideal to share with a family on a flat screen in an arrangement office or on a tablet in their home. It offers complete transparency that assures all of your client families receive the same, basic information, helping them make an educated decision.

When a family understands the differences in the products, they have a tendency to buy better merchandise and are more satisfied with their purchase.

In the forty years I have worked with funeral directors all over the world, I have not found a more easy to use, professional and effective method of presenting caskets and coffins. In addition to standardising all of your arrangers’ presentations and assuring your families are provided basic product information, the Diamond Presenter also makes life easier for the owner/manager.

Gone are the days of collecting all of your photo books to make product line changes or redoing price lists. No need to upload new information to your team’s tablets. The Diamond Presenter does it all for you.

If you are interested in challenging your assumptions and practices around casket/ coffin merchandising, contact ACC Higgins on 1300 588 480 for a free, no obligation demonstration on how the Diamond Merchandising System could benefit your business.

By Scott Billingsley Merchandising Manager, ACC Higgins T: 1300 588 480 W: www.acchiggins.com.au

This new approach still takes into consideration the four P’s. We make sure we have the right products at the right price by analysing your sales and creating a new 37

Visit our website: www.hadleyconversions.com.au

22 Britton Street, Smithfield NSW 2164.

Phone: (02) 9604 4582 Fax: (02) 9725 3038

OVER 20 YEARS EXPERIENCE SERVING THE FUNERAL INDUSTRY

38

Industry Training

MARCH

16-20

AFDA National Convention Hotel Grand Chancellor Hobart

2018 CPD Program*

10 Hrs

APRIL 13-14 QLD General Meeting Weekend 3 Hrs Brisbane 10

SA/NT Basic Mortuary Care & Preparation 3 Hrs Ivan Butler Funerals, Adelaide

18 VIC NW/NE Zone Meeting Bendigo

1 Hr

MAY 8 SA/NT Industry Training Adelaide

3 Hrs

10-11 NSW/ACT & CCA NSW Joint

Industry Training Parramatta

6 Hrs

19 SA/NT Regional Meeting Wallaroo

1 Hr

25 TAS Industry Training Day Hobart

4 Hrs

AUGUST

10-12 TAS Annual General Meeting Weekend Freycinet

4 Hrs

24-26 SA/NT & VIC Joint Annual 4 Hrs

General Meeting Weekend Adelaide

SEPTEMBER

7-9 WA Annual General Meeting Weekend Perth

4 Hrs

12 SA/NT Journalist Seminar 3 Hrs Adelaide

OCTOBER 3 VIC NE Zone Meeting Benalla

1 Hr

24

1 Hr

VIC Gippsland Zone Meeting Maffra

NOVEMBER 28 SA/NT Industry Forum Adelaide

3 Hrs

JUNE 6 VIC Gippsland Zone Meeting Traralgon

1 Hr

27 VIC Metro Zone Meeting Melbourne

1 Hr

JULY 7 WA Training Day Perth

7 Hrs

18 VIC SW/NW Zone Meeting Ballarat

1 Hr

24 SA/NT Infection Control & OH&S Training Adelaide

3 Hrs

27-29

4 Hrs

QLD & NSW/ACT Joint Annual General Meeting Weekend Gold Coast

Upcoming Webinars Accessing Super to Pay for a Funeral Cody Morrow, Operations Manager from SuperCare will present a webinar about how funeral directors can use SuperCare to assist families to release superannuation for funeral expenses.

Missed a webinar? Visit the Members Area of the AFDA website www.afda.org.au

* Dates, CPD hours and program content subject to change 39

Corporate Affiliate Members National Corporate Partners

TREVOR HOLST

MARK HYDE

JOHN MARINI

MANDY COOPER

0417 088 197 funeral.plans@lifeplan.com.au www.fpmanagement.com.au

1800 777 744 hyqual@bigpond.com www.hyqual.com

08 8274 2000 John.Marini@icfrith.com.au www.icfrith.com.au

03 5485 6239 mandy.cooper@bendigoadelaide.com.au www.australianfriendlysociety.com.au

PETER MACLEOD

STEPHEN COLLINS

NOEL WOFF

TREVOR BIRKS

03 9689 3299 peterm@acchiggins.com.au www.acchiggins.com.au

03 8648 3810 scollins@australiansuper.com www.australiansuper.com

03 9326 6000 nwoff@forestersfs.com.au www.forestersfs.com.au

03 5485 7122 trevor.birks@bendigoadelaide.com.au www.bendigobank.com.au

Service Directory ACCOUNTANTS MGR ACCOUNTANTS www.mgr.com.au Peter Mulqueen 1800 268 482 pmulqueen@mgr.com.au

BURIALS/CEMETERIES & CREMATORIA ADELAIDE CEMETERIES AUTHORITY www.aca.sa.gov.au Robert Pitt 08 8139 7400 Robert.Pitt@aca.sa.gov.au CATHOLIC CEMETERIES BOARD www.catholiccemeteries.org.au Peter O’Meara 02 8713 5777 peter@catholiccemeteries.org.au

40

CENTENNIAL PARK CEMETERY AUTHORITY www.centennialpark.org Janet Miller 08 8275 2214 janetm@centpark.org.au GEELONG CEMETERIES TRUST www.gct.net.au Darryl Thomas 03 5221 1077 dt@gct.net.au MACQUARIE PARK CEMETERY & CREMATORIUM www.maccem.com.au Pauline Tritton 02 9805 0499 info.mpcc@northerncemeteries.com.au METROPOLITAN CEMETERIES BOARD www.mcb.wa.gov.au Peter Deague 1300 793 109 peter.deague@mcb.wa.gov.au

SEA BURIALS AUSTRALIA www.seaburialsaustralia.com.au 02 6495 1511 Guye Richards M: 0414 299 223 guyeonserenity@gmail.com SOUTHERN METROPOLITAN CEMETERIES TRUST www.smct.org.au Jane Grover 03 8558 8278 jane.grover@smct.org.au THE GREATER METROPOLITAN CEMETERIES TRUST www.gmct.com.au Jacqui Weatherill 1300 022 298 jweatherill@gmct.com.au

COFFINS & CASKETS ACC HIGGINS www.acchiggins.com.au Peter MacLeod 03 9689 3299 peterm@acchiggins.com.au Paul Higgins 08 9209 1833 paulh@acchiggins.com.au ASHTON MANUFACTURING PTY LTD www.ashtonmanufacturing.com.au Rohan Kerr 1300 263 346 rohan@ashtonmanufacturing.com.au BATESVILLE CASKET CO. INC. www.batesville.com.au Shirly Sareyka 0437 114 333 shirly.sareyka@batesville.com

BETA TRADING COMPANY PTY LTD

FERNO AUSTRALIA PTY LTD

IC FRITH & ASSOCIATES

George Ajkay 02 9681 2355 betacaskets@betacaskets.com.au

www.ferno.com.au Mick Cawley 07 3881 4999 mcawley@ferno.com.au

www.icfrith.com.au 08 8274 2000 John Marini John.Marini@icfrith.com.au

LIFESTYLE COFFINS www.lifestylecoffins.com.au Corey Simpson 08 8427 7099 corey@lifestylecoffins.com.au

CONSULTING & TRAINING SERVICES

FINAL TOUCH AUSTRALIA www.finaltouchaustralia.com.au Jennifer O’Neill 07 3889 9607 info@finaltouchaustralia.com.au HICKEY & CO PTY LTD

MEDIA/FUNERAL NOTICES HERALD SUN www.newscorpaustralia.com Effie Tsitsis 03 9875 8151 effie.tsitsis@news.com.au

www.funeraldirection.com.au Martin Tobin 0419 306 271 martin@outlore.com.au

www.hickeyandco.com 02 9564 1888 Paul Castaldi 0418 470 111 Paul Martin 0418 676 806 paul@hickeyandco.com

MERAKAI PTY LTD

HYQUAL AUSTRALIA

www.merakai.com.au Rachel Colla 0422 188 430 rachel.colla@merakai.com.au

www.hyqual.com Mark Hyde 1800 777 744 hyqual@bigpond.com

www.fairfax.com.au Daniel Maloni 02 9282 1084 dmaloni@fairfaxmedia.com.au

MAJOR FURNACE AUSTRALIA PTY LTD

THE AGE COMPANY LTD

www.majoreng.com.au Andrew North 03 8558 1800 andrew.north@majoreng.com.au

www.theage.com.au Daniel Maloni 02 9282 1084 dmaloni@fairfaxmedia.com.au

R H MINTER PTY LTD

THE COURIER MAIL

www.themintergroup.com.au Mandee Minter 03 9568 6999 mandee@rhminter.com.au

www.newscorpaustralia.com Marie Matthys 07 3115 8301 marie.matthys@news.com.au

FUNERAL DIRECTION

CORPORATE CLOTHING STAFFORD GROUP www.staffordgroup.com.au Craig Schwerdt 0412 206 200 cschwerdt@stafford.com.au

DEBT RECOVERY PRUSHKA FAST DEBT RECOVERY www.prushka.com.au Julie Mackey 03 9872 7206 julie@prushka.com.au

DIGITAL MEDIA FOILD/FIREHAWK DIGITAL www.firehawk.digital Belinda Crossingham 0400 580 506 belinda@firehawk.digital

EMERGENCY SERVICES

TEKMED PTY LTD www.tekmed.com.au Mark Dusting 03 9487 9999 mark@tekmed.com.au

HEARSES/COACH BUILDERS AUSTRALIAN HEARSE MANUFACTURERS www.australianhearsemanufacturers.com.au Michael Ferguson 07 3888 9244 michael@mrf.net.au

BLAKE EMERGENCY SERVICES www.blakeemergency.com Jan Field 1300 306 292 (24 hours) jan.field@blakeemergency.com

FINANCIAL SERVICES BENDIGO BANK www.bendigobank.com.au Trevor Birks 03 5485 7122 Trevor.birks@bendigoadelaide.com.au

FUNERAL BONDS BENDIGO FUNERAL BOND www.australianfriendlysociety.com.au Emma Forsyth 0401 490 311 emma.forsyth@bendigoadelaide.com.au

FUNERAL & MORTUARY SUPPLIES DODGE AUSTRALIA PTY LTD www.dodgeco.com.au Jan Field 02 8214 4655 jfield@dodgeco.com.au

HILLIER BROTHERS Troy Hillier 02 6736 1277 hdesign@halenet.com.au W. D. HADLEY PTY LTD www.hadleyconversions.com.au Gary Hadley 02 9604 4582 wdhadley@bigpond.com

HUMAN RESOURCE SERVICES SPOTON HUMAN RESOURCES www.spotonhr.com Luke Mulkearns 0423 348 257 lukem@spotonhr.com

INSURANCE FUNERAL INDUSTRY INSURANCE BROKERS www.fiib.com.au Tony Wagner 07 3370 8839 tony@fiib.com.au

NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA www.newscorpaustralia.com Tony Turton 08 8206 3965 anthony.turton@news.com.au SYDNEY MORNING HERALD

METROPOLITAN FUNERAL TRANSFERS Rob Daalmeyer 03 9775 8797 mfts@bigpond.com QUEENSLAND FUNERAL TRANSFERS Richard Bertrand 1800 823 005 qft@cqnet.com.au STATEWIDE MORTUARY TRANSFERS PTY LTD www.statewidetransfers.com.au Steve Mogler 1300 368 155 steveanddonna@statewidetransfers.com.au TRI-TRANSFERS www.tri-transfers.com.au Craig Bottrill 0413 584 770 craig@tri-transfers.com.au

TRIBUTES & ONLINE MEMORIALISATION ARROW BRONZE www.arrowbronze.com.au Lynwood Davis 03 9794 2922 lynd@arrowbronze.com.au FUNERAL STUDIO www.funeralstudio.com.au Kerri Ward 0413 208 031 kerri@funeralstudio.com.au

THE WEST AUSTRALIAN NEWSPAPER www.thewest.com.au Christine Sutherland 08 9482 3475 christine.sutherland@wanews.com.au

PRE-PAID FUNERALS FUNERAL PLAN MANAGEMENT www.fpmanagement.com.au Trevor Holst 0417 088 197 funeral.plans@lifeplan.com.au FORESTERS FRIENDLY SOCIETY www.forestersfs.com.au Noel Woff 03 9329 6000 nwoff@forestersfs.com.au

SUPERANNUATION

IN MEMORIUM PRODUCTIONS Neale McQuire 08 9227 0495 neale@nltrading.com LEGACY.COM www.legacy.com Tony Becker 0467 535 311 tbecker@legacy.com LIFE LIVED www.lifelived.com.au Damian White 0499 848 001 damian@lifelived.com.au LIFE’S MEMORIES Eva Treen 08 8274 5420 evatreen@lifesmemories.com.au

AUSTRALIANSUPER www.australiansuper.com Stephen Collins 03 8648 3810 scollins@australiansuper.com

PHOENIX FOUNDRY www.phoenixfoundry.com.au Joe Campbell 1800 806 064 joe@phoenixfoundry.com.au

SUPERCARE www.mysupercare.com.au Cody Morrow 1300 665 440 cody@mysupercare.com.au

TRANSFER SERVICES FUNERAL TRANSFER SERVICES AUSTRALIA www.ftsa.com.au Jane Domjahn 1800 770 788 janedomjahn@ftsa.com.au

41

GRIFFITH 2680

SINGLETON 2330

ACT 118 George St (New England Hwy), Singleton 2330 Greg & Lynne Chapman Ph: (02) 65 721089 Fax: (02) 65 721055 Leading the way in service and care

CANBERRA 2600

SYDNEY & SUBURBS

GUNDAGAI 2722

New South Wales

Robinson Funerals 47 West Street Gundagai NSW 2722 Phone: (02) 6944 1611 Mobile: 0408 162 555

ALBURY 2640

Lester & Son

Australian owned family business since 1944 SUTHERLAND 691 Old Princes Highway PH: 02 9545 3477 Fax: 02 9545 5039

NOWRA 2541

CARINGBAH ST GEORGE BANKSTOWN

359 Wantigong St, Albury 02 6040 5066 49 Thomas Mitchell Dr, Wodonga 02 60561700 Darren Eddy & Andrew Harbick www.lesterandson.com.au

Stephen Kellaway Managing Director email: service@olsens.com.au

ARMIDALE 2350 ORANGE 2800

Traditional values Contemporary choices

Dale Maroney

email: mail@penhallfunerals.com.au

302 Oxford Street, Bondi Junction NSW 2022 Ph. (02) 9389 3499 Fax. (02) 9387 8658 dale@waltercarter.com.au waltercarter.com.au n Join me on Linked-In

BATEMANS BAY 2536

email: penhall@ix.net.au PORT MACQUARIE 2444

Batemans Bay, Moruya and Narooma District Funerals Ph. (02) 4472 8886 Mark or Robert Hewson 20 Old Princes Highway, Batemans Bay E-mail: info@batemansbayfunerals.com.au Broulee Memorial Gardens Crematorium

COOTAMUNDRA 2590

TAMWORTH 2340

Shaun Hamilton Funerals

125 MARIUS STREET, TAMWORTH

0 2 6 7 6 6 1 9 66

Serving Tamworth, Manilla, Gunnedah and all surrounding areas

QUIRINDI 2343

TAMWOR TH’S ONL Y LOC AL L Y OWNED & OP E R ATE D FUNE R AL DI R ECTOR

Shaun Hamilton Funerals

ULLADULLA 2539

214 GEORGE STREET, QUIRINDI Ron & Margaret Robinson J.P.’s CMC 154 Parker Street, Cootamundra NSW 2590 Phone: (02) 6942 6423 Mobile: 0408 162 555 ALL AREAS 24 HOURS

42

02 6746 2222

Serving Quirindi, Werris Creek, Murrurundi and all surrounding areas QU IRINDI ’S ONL Y L OC AL L Y OW NED & OP ER ATE D FUNE R AL DI R E C TOR

Simon & Kayleen Law Ph: (02) 4454 0722 Fax: (02) 4455 5017 2 Camden St, Ulladulla NSW 2539 e-mail: enquiries@miltonulladullafunerals.com.au

WAGGA WAGGA 2650

CAIRNS 4870

SIMPLICITY FUNERALS NT Funeral Home & Service Providers

Email: admin@johnbance.com.au

YOUNG 2594

Family Owned and Operated Local Funeral Directors Interstate Transfers Serving Darwin Over 20 years P: 08 8941 1633 Fax: 08 8941 0292 E: Office@sfnt.com.au 6 Presley Street, Stuart Park PO Box 37812 Winnellie NT 0821

Serving Cairns, Gordonvale, Babinda, Innisfail, Tully & Atherton Tableland Areas of Far North Queensland Locally Family Owned and Operated by Chris, Kaylene, Brett & Cher Heritage

Ph 07 4056 1627 Fax 07 4056 3389 70-76 Maher Road Gordonvale Qld 4865 E: info@heritagebradyfunerals.com.au W: www.heritagebradyfunerals.com.au

GOLD COAST 4220

Queensland SUBSCRIBE

get your own copy of

The Australian Funeral Director Annual Subscription Rates

Members: AUD$55 (4 issues, including GST) Non Members: AUD$110 (4 issues, excluding GST)

BRISBANE & SUBURBS 4503

GOLD COAST (07) 5535 8758 TWEED HEADS (07) 5599 1500 NORTHERN RIVERS NSW 1800 088 484 www.heritagebrothers.com.au

Northern Territory ALICE SPRINGS 0870

Centre Funeral Services 12 Kidman Street, PO Box 1943 Phone: 08 8952 2953 Fax: 08 8952 4518 Email: admin@centrefunerals.com.au

Serving Alice Springs & Central Australia since 1975.

DARWIN 0821

CALL ANYTIME

SIX GENERATIONS OF SERVING SOUTH EAST QUEENSLAND.

Wes Heritage 0417 601 308

Ashley Heritage 0419 676 570

MOUNT ISA 4825

AUSTRALIAN FAMILY OWNED AND OPERATED, PRE-EMINENT FUNERAL DIRECTOR K.M.SMITH HAS BRANCHES THROUGHOUT SEQ. APART FROM A COMPREHENSIVE RANGE OF SERVICES, WE ALSO SPECIALISE IN REPATRIATIONS. FOR DETAILS PLEASE CALL

07 3252 2031.

ROCKHAMPTON 4700

kmsmith.com.au ASPLEY 1344 GYMPIE ROAD 3263 2326 BOWEN HILLS 53 BROOKES STREET 3252 2031 GOODNA 11 QUEEN STREET 3818 7833 HILLCREST HELEN STREET 3800 7800 NORTH LAKES 53 ENDEAVOUR BLVD 3886 3412 SHERWOOD 14 PRIMROSE STREET 3716 0161 WYNNUM 176 BAY TERRACE 3348 4133 VICTORIA POINT 7 BUNKER ROAD 3820 9588 CAPALABA 8 REDLAND BAY ROAD 3390 1333 ARANA HILLS 4 PATRICKS ROAD 3351 8244 STRATHPINE 3205 8655 - IPSWICH 3281 7831 43

TOWNSVILLE 4810

BERRI 5343

32 Hughes Street

CLARE 5453

KADINA 5554

South Australia

Seeley Funerals (Compassion, Dignity, Respect) 1 Draper Street, Kadina Serving Copper Coast incl. Kadina, Wallaroo, Bute, Kulpara, Pt Broughton, Yorke Peninsula & wider areas Phone all hours: (08) 8825 2028 Fax: (08) 8825 2189

ADELAIDE & SUBURBS

MINLATON 5575

MOONTA 5558

Skinner Family Funerals PTY LTD (est. 1926)

(Compassion, Dignity, Respect)

1 Frances Terrace, Moonta Serving Central Yorke Peninsula incl. Moonta, Maitland, Ardrossan, Pt Victoria & Price, Copper Coast & wider areas Phone all hours: (08) 8825 2028 Fax: (08) 8825 2189

Proudly South Australian Owned and Operated 1 Webb Street, Port Adelaide S.A. 5015 Phone: (08) 8341 2822 Fax: (08) 8341 0550 Email: tmfs@chariot.net.au office chapel lounge crematory www.tonymontefunerals.com.au 44

MOUNT BARKER 5251

Andrew Kleemann & Family 1 Morphett Street, Mt. Barker Tel: (08) 8398 2244 Fax: (08) 8398 2255

PORT LINCOLN 5606

Ralph, Jennifer, Linda and Staff

ST HELENS 7216

Millingtons

Providing families with every option in funeral and cemetery service

Funeral Directors Millington Cemeteries

Phone/Fax: (03) 6376 1153 tamara@harrisfunerals.com.au Serving the East Coast and Fingal Valley

-AFDA/AIE

David, Jean & Paul Serving all districts of Eyre Peninsula

20 London Street, Port Lincoln Telephone: (08) 8683 4000 www.williamsfunerals.com.au

PORT PIRIE 5540

Email: meschke@bigpond.net.au

-ACCA

Head Office 25 McIntyre St, Mornington TAS 7018 P: (03) 6211 4888 F: (03) 6245 1010

Cemetery The Cottage, Queens Walk Cornelian Bay TAS 7009 P: (03) 6278 1244 F: (03) 6278 1245

Victoria BALLARAT 3350

Email: hcm@millingtons.com.au Website: www.millingtons.com.au

LAUNCESTON 7250

RENMARK 5341 Mark & Paul Graham

BENALLA 3672

Damien and Justin Feehan

Tasmania

Funeral Directors & Monumental Masons 199-205 Brisbane Street Launceston Ph: 03 6331 2488 Fax: 03 6334 5840

HOBART & SOUTHERN TASMANIA

Website: www.jadunnfunerals.com.au

BENDIGO 3550

Proudly Launceston’s oldest family business Continually operating through five generations since 1883.

NORTH WEST & WEST COASTS mar k@mulqueen.com.au

25 Electra Place

MORNINGTON TAS 7018

enquiries@psfunerals.com www.psfunerals.com

Andrew & Heather Hampton 03 5441 5577 funerals@williamfarmer.com.au

45

BIRCHIP 3483

ERN J ENSEN FUNERALS

MORWELL 3840

Bruce & Mary Streets Preston, 3072.

Phone: (03) 9480 1477 Fax: (03) 9416 9152 preston@jensenfunerals.com.au 2 Arthur Street, St. Albans, 3021 Phone: (03) 9364 3466 Fax: (03) 9364 0988 stalbans@jensenfunerals.com.au

437a Princes Drive www.latrobevalleyfunerals.com.au

NATHALIA 3638

GEELONG 3220

Phone: 1300 858 333 Fax: (03) 5862 1932 Email: admin@coxfunerals.com.au Web: www.petercoxfunerals.com.au NORTH-EASTERN REGION

HAMILTON 3300

Incorporating Bamford's Murrindindi Dianne, Cherie & Paul 43 Collins Street

Alexandra, Eildon, Euroa, Mansfield, Marysville, Seymour & Yea

Phone: (03) 5572 1053 Fax: (03) 5572 5962 Email: admin@fgreed.com.au

KERANG 3579

NUMURKAH 3636

(Peter and Jenny Cox) Tel: (03) 5862 3047 Fax: (03) 5862 1932 Email: admin@coxfunerals.com.au Web: www.petercoxfunerals.com.au

info@adamsfunerals.com.au

KYNETON 3444

PHILLIP ISLAND 3922

TJ S C O T T S O N Scott & Sharon Anderson

KYNETON: 5 Piper St (03) 5422 6455 info@tjscottandson.com.au www.tjscottandson.com.au John, Kelly, Jack and Daniel Scott

15 Warley Avenue, Cowes, 3922.

Ph: (03) 5952 5171 Fax: (03) 5672 1747

Email: info@handafunerals.com.au Website: handleyandandersonfunerals.com.au

LEONGATHA / KORUMBURRA

SALE 3850

MILDURA 3502 MAFFRA 3860

Maffra Sale Heyfield

5147 1954 5144 1954 5148 3354

SWAN HILL 3585

Office & Chapel 3-5 Queen St Maffra 3860 semmensfunerals.com.au

MELBOURNE & SUBURBS

Tel: (03) 5023 1234 (24 Hours) 596 Deakin Avenue, Mildura Web: www.northwestfunerals.com.au Email: info@nwfunerals.com

MOE 3825

www.latrobevalleyfunerals.com.au 46

www.lettsfunerals.com.au

TRARALGON 3844

www.latrobevalleyfunerals.com.au

WANGARATTA 3677

PERTH & SUBURBS

John and Christine Haddrick 59-63 Greta Rd, Wangaratta

CHRISTCHURCH

www.bowraodea.com.au

Including Beechworth, Bright, Mt Beauty and Myrtleford. tatefunerals.com.au WARRNAMBOOL Est.1905/ MORTLAKE

Guyetts

60 Verdon Street Warrnambool Phone: (03) 5562 2622 Fax: (03) 5561 1133 Email: admin@guyetts.com.au

WONTHAGGI 3995

www.leanneodea.com.au WA Family Owned and Operated Generations of Excellence Since 1888

Head Office:

68 Stirling Street, Perth WA 6000

Scott & Sharon Anderson

176-178 Graham Street, Wonthaggi, 3995.

Ph: (03) 5972 1074 Fax: (03) 5672 1747

Email: info@handafunerals.com.au Website: handleyandandersonfunerals.com.au

Tel: +61 8 9231 5199 Fax: +61 8 9227 6469

Branches conveniently located Throughout the Metropolitan Area.

International and Interstate Repatriation Specialists Contact Cherie Iles 0417 988 096

New Zealand

DUNEDIN & OTAGO REGION

(Michael and Jannette Hope)

523 Andersons Bay Road, Dunedin, NZ PH: +64-3-455 5074 office@hopeandsons.co.nz www.hopeandsons.co.nz

INVERCARGILL & DISTRICTS

Western Australia BUNBURY & BUSSELTON

To contact New Zealand Locally Owned or Family Owned Funeral Directors Phone: 1800 038 958 www. l o c a l lyow n ed f u n era l s. c o. n z

AUCKLAND

We offer a prompt and professional repatriation service

Cnr. Esk & Doon Sts. Invercargill International Phone: +64 3 218 4095 office@frasersfunerals.co.nz

WELLINGTON & HUTT VALLEY

Adrian Barrett, Errol Barrett Tel: (08) 9722 5311 Fax: (08) 9791 2173 9 Spencer Street, Bunbury, WA 6230 Email: info@barrettfunerals.com.au Web: barrettfunerals.com.au Also at Augusta, Bridgetown, Capel, Donnybrook, Harvey, Manjimup, Margaret River, Waroona & Yarloop.

WHANGAREI

NORTHAM 6401 199 Kamo Road, Whau Valley, Whangarei PO Box 8043 Kensington, Whangarei 0145 Phone +64 9 437 5799 Fax +64 9 437 5796

47

Last

IC Frith Word Winner The draw was conducted at the IC Frith sponsored dinner at Encore St Kilda Beach and the winner of the $10,000 insurance premium voucher was Taylor & Forgie with John Marini presenting Mark Forgie with a super large copy of the cheque at the SA/NT Division end of year forum.

I

t was with great pride that IC Frith launched their new Insurance Facility at the 2017 AFDA National Convention in Melbourne.

As part of the launch there was a draw held for all delegates that attended the Convention with a prize of $10,000 towards an upcoming insurance premium.

48

IC Frith are long term supporters and sponsors of AFDA and are entering their 10th year as a National Corporate Partner. During this time IC Frith have had significant support from AFDA Members across the country, including industry suppliers said John Marini.

Since the launch of the new insurance facility at National Convention the support from Members has been overwhelming and there has been significant growth experienced, with Members acknowledging the comprehensive cover and competitive premiums. The Insurance Programme has been

developed after significant consultation with the AFDA and Member input. The result is a market leading policy coverage, such as: • Business Insurance …Co Insurance deleted • Whole of Turn over cover for Loss of Profits • Agreed Value (Hearses/Transfer Vehicles) • Replacement Value for Hearses available, catastrophe cover • Legal Liability standard limit $30,000,000 • Professional Indemnity standard limit $5,000,000 • Management Liability/Cyber Crime • Claims Settlement Authority With the growth that IC Frith have experienced they are pleased to announce the appointment of Steve Thurston to assist John Marini with the servicing and development of the AFDA Insurance Facility for Association members.

Available now!… Unexpected Value Batesville quality made surprisingly affordable. For the non-traditional Batesville buyers!

DELRAY - Product Code: 146853 Rosetan Crepe Interior with dual overlay Batesville quality made Solid Hardwood Casket with Wooden bed, surprisingly affordable Adjustable LifeView panel, Crematable wooden handles, Living Tree Memorial Program Dimensions (cm): 205 x 76 x 50 Weight: 77kg

1

#

RATING

“Batesville has been rated #1 in product quality, service and innovation for three years in a row by funeral professionals, according to Funeral Service Insider (FSI)!”

TO FIND OUT MORE, PLEASE CONTACT: Shirly Sareyka - General Manager, Australia & New Zealand : Shirly.sareyka@batesville.com : 0437 114 333 : www.batesville.com.au Or your local Batesville sales agent: 1300 368 268

Disclaimer: Caskets not available in all States. Please ask your local representative for details.

©2017 Batesville