Metropolitan Memorial Parks (MMP)

Polis Partners is a trusted advisor of Metropolitan Memorial Parks (MMP). We have worked together over several years to assist in improving MMP’s operations, financial sustainability, investment strategy and strategic planning in a constrained asset setting, so that MMP remains a trusted public provider of memorial services in Greater Sydney.

Some of our projects include:

• Transforming the Future of Cemeteries in Greater Sydney Program Business Case: We developed the evidence-base for a multi-horizon program designed to secure future burial capacity. This included cost-benefit analysis, a roadmap to enable MMP to address the near-term shortages, as well as inform planning, land acquisition and investment decisions to address the long-term capacity constraints.
• MMP Asset Management Policy Framework: We co-developed a formal policy framework with defined objectives, asset classes, roles/decision-rights, lifecycle planning and risk management, and staged implementation actions. The framework is aimed at strengthening governance, providing consistency and accountability in decision-making, improving external reporting and risk management, and better integrating asset stewardship into strategic and land use planning.
• MMP Property Strategy: We developed a portfolio-wide land strategy that includes analysis of holdings, constraints and opportunities, and acquisition/disposal criteria. The Property Strategy is aimed at enabling proactive land use and acquisition decisions under scarcity, regulation, and strengthened engagement with planning authorities, communities and government partners. This Strategy positions MMP as a strategic steward of social infrastructure.
• Cremations Strategy: We conducted market and operational analysis for cremations under different growth scenarios, service diversification options (including sustainable and digitally enabled service offerings), and upgraded/low emissions technology pathways. The Strategy identified targeted investments to lift utilisation, innovation and sustainability, and informed a long-term business case for service and infrastructure enhancement to support financial sustainability and sector leadership.
• Rookwood optimisation: Delivery of a user-friendly optimisation modelling tool enabling MMP to run various plot delivery and renewal scenarios against projected demand, and displaying the impact on key financial and operational metrics.
• Renewal exemption: We worked with MMP to support drafting of a detailed request to the Minister for Lands and Property to seek a conditional renewal exemption under new provisions of the Cemeteries and Crematoria Act 2013, including documentation addressing the new prescribed legislative requirements. Our advice enabled MMP to progress the first renewal exemption request under the amended Act through departmental channels, supporting timely decision-making to unlock additional interment capacity while managing consultation, technical due diligence and resourcing risks.