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Organisation Overview

  
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Overview of our Organisation

Doutta Galla is an incorporated not-for-profit organisation. We have adopted a structure that ensures the highest level of governance and therefore security for our residents and employees.

Outlined below you will find a description of our key people, our structure and the legal principles upon which we operate. If you have any questions regarding this information, please do not hesitate to contact us. 

Board of Directors

 Mr Bruce Mildenhall (Chair)

Mr Mildenhall was elected to State Parliament in 1992, following years of community activism in Melbourne’s inner west. A local councillor  for nine years including a term as Footscray Mayor, he is well known and respected within the local community. He has now retired from State politics.  A Doutta Galla trustee for eight years, Mr Mildenhall has excellent background knowledge of the organisation and the challenges we face moving forward. He assumed the position of Chair in 2007.

Mr Peter Cannan

Mr Cannan is the General Manager, Pitcher Partners with a Bachelor of Business, Accounting and is a Chartered Accountant.  He has a broad base of experience in information technology, business process re-engineering, project management, management consulting, total quality management, accounting and management.  He has been a Doutta Galla Board member since 2000.

Ms Marion Lau

Ms Lau is a management consultant specialising in aged care with particular interest in the ethnic aged and human resource management. She is a Registered Nurse – Division 1 with a Diploma in Nursing Administration and a Bachelor of Health Services Administration. She is currently a mentor and small business coach.

Ms Lau was awarded Order of Australia (OAM) in 1996 for services to Older Australians and the Chinese Community and was awarded the Centenary Medal in 2003 for services to Multiculturalism and for her role as Chair of the Ethnic Communities Council of Victoria. Her current appointments include Charter Member, Rotary Club of Elsternwick, Director, Royal District Nursing Service. Ms Lau is also a Justice of the Peace Victoria. She has been a Doutta Galla Board member since 1995. 

Mrs Rennis Witham

A recruitment, organisational management and strategic planning consultant, Mrs Witham has a depth of experience in the Australian health and community sector. Prior to launching her consulting career, she was Executive Director of the Western Region Council for Social Development and the CEO of the Western Region Health Centre.

Mrs Witham has been a board member of the Western Health Care Network, Western Melbourne Regional Economic Development Organisation and Western Health, where she served as Chair. She was a contributing member of the Rescode and Melbourne 2030 consultation and policy development committees. She has been a Doutta Galla Board member since 2007.

Ms Diana Taylor

Diana Taylor is a Corporate Lawyer and has a broad range of experience in the areas of workplace relations, financial services, general commercial activity, risk management and governance. Diana has been actively involved in the Western Region over many years through her commitment to the Western Region Football League, most recently as its President. Diana also currently sits on the Board of the Geelong Football Club and the AFL Victoria Development Advisory Board. She has been a Doutta Galla Board member since 2009.

Trustees

Fiona McLeod
Energy Industry Ombudsman

John So
Former Lord Mayor of Melbourne

Lorna Hannan
Former Melbourne City Councillor 

Executive Management Team

Mr Mark Anderson
Chief Executive Officer

Mr George Koulis
Director, Finance and Corporate Services

Mr John Bartolo
Director, Residential Care

Company Structure

Doutta Galla Aged Services Limited is structured as a company limited by guarantee that operates in accordance with and observes the roles, functions, powers and obligations set out in the Constitution of Doutta Galla Aged Services Limited.

The purposes and objects of the Company are charitable and benevolent and are as follows:

  • To establish and operate aged care facilities and other similar supported accommodation to enable people to lead individual and self-determined lives;
  • To provide residential care and services to frail aged people who are eligible persons under the terms of the Aged Care Act 1997, a number of whom will be financially disadvantaged;
  • To provide culturally sensitive residential care and services for elderly or disabled people according to the principles and policies of the Company from time to time; and
  • To undertake, carry on or carry out any other charitable or benevolent work or purpose which improves the lives of aged or disabled people living in their local community.  

Role of the Board

The Doutta Galla Aged Services Limited Board, established in accordance with clause 13 of the Constitution, is responsible for the business affairs and property of the Company, including: 

  • Policy making
  • Strategic planning
  • Performance monitoring (including executive performance)
  • Community liaison, advocacy and networking
  • Approval of the business plan, budgets and annual report
  • Ensuring the independence of the Company;
  • Risk management (including regulatory compliance and audit)
  • Appointment of Trustees, and
  • Governance.  

Role of the Trustees

The Trustees are the representatives of the owners of the business (the community). As such, they carry out the normal role of a shareholder, in reviewing the progress of the company and the performance of the Directors.

The main activity of the Trustees is to conduct the business of the Annual General Meeting of Doutta Galla:

  • to receive and consider the profit and loss account, the balance sheet and the reports of the Directors and the auditor of the Company;
  • to appoint Directors to the Board; and
  • to transact any other business that the Directors or Trustees deem appropriate.

In addition, the Trustees receive all Board papers and can request the Chair to report on any issue, or respond to a request from the Directors to convene a Trustee’s Meeting. 

Ethical Standards

The Board acknowledges the need for the highest standard of corporate governance practices and ethical conduct by all Directors, employees and contractors of the Company, and the Directors have adopted the Code of Conduct issued by the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

The Board has also adopted the voluntary Code of Ethics for Residential Aged Care, which commits the organisation to protect the following rights of our residents:

  • the right of individuals to be treated with respect;
  • the rights of individuals to life, liberty and security;
  • the right of individuals to have their religious and cultural identity respected;
  • the right of competent individuals to self-determination; the right to an appropriate standard of care to meet individual needs;
  • the right to privacy and confidentiality; and
  • the recognition that human beings are social beings with social needs. 

Application of Income and Property

The income and property of the Company, from whatever sources, is applied solely towards the promotion of the objects of the Company and no portion is paid or transferred directly or indirectly by way of dividend, bonus or otherwise by way of profit to the Trustees of the Company.

If, upon the winding-up or dissolution of the Company there remains after satisfaction of all of its debts and liabilities any property whatsoever, that property will be given or transferred to some institution or institutions having objects similar or in part similar to the objects of the Company and which also prohibits the distribution of its or their income and property amongst its or their members.