The chief executive of the trust that runs Pine Lodge Cemetery is “no longer at work”.
The revelation comes on the back of a public furore about the removal of flowers, mementos and memorials from graves at Pine Lodge Cemetery and cemeteries in Bendigo that are run by Remembrance Parks Central Victoria.
Remembrance Parks Central Victoria board chairperson Marg Lewis confirmed chief executive Emma Flukes was “no longer at work, at the request of the board”.
Ms Lewis would not be drawn on whether this was a permanent move, saying the organisation was “working through a process” and that she could not say anything more “for legal reasons”.
Ms Flukes was informed at 5.30pm Tuesday not to come to work from Wednesday morning.
The move comes in the aftermath of local families being left heartbroken after children’s toys, ornaments, plants and photos were removed from graves at Pine Lodge Cemetery around January 20 or 21.
The News spoke to a number of families whose children are buried in the Gumnut Grove section of the cemetery who were angered by a move that saw the items removed from graves of loved ones without any notice.
Residents in Bendigo are similarly upset with moves to remove items from graves at Eaglehawk cemetery, with a large protest in recent days.
Earlier this week Remembrance Parks Victoria put out a statement saying that while its “actions to date have been motivated by compliance with occupational health and safety laws, we recognise that we should have provided better support to families and communicated more widely, before acting the way we did”.
Ms Lewis confirmed on Thursday that the board of Remembrance Parks Central Victoria was “having external in-depth investigations around the adornment policy” in coming days.
The board of the cemetery trust is appointed by the Victorian Government.
Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas said she was “pleased to see the trust has listened to the community and acted accordingly”.
“I expect that the trust is respectful of grieving families’ adornments and valuables and communicates any changes appropriately and respectfully,” she said.
Ms Thomas also said she had asked for a full report into the issue.
On Monday, state Member for Northern Victoria Wendy Lovell called for the directors of the cemetery trust to be sacked.
On Thursday she renewed those calls, even in the wake of the announcement that the chief executive was not working at the organisation.
“Regardless, it’s still a governance issue,” she said.
“The CEO is only the manager that operates under the guidance of the board.
“The government needs to step up.
“They appointed the board. They need to put in an administrator and then appoint a more compassionate board.
“There were things (on graves) that meant things to families. There were toys that a child had played with.”
Ms Lovell said families should have been told items were going to be removed first, rather than workers just doing it.
“Even though parents would have been upset, it would have been less distressing,” she said.
“It needs to be handled sensitively and not with a heavy hand.”