Internal Audit, Risk & Insurance

Our Insurance Services team provides expert assistance for all congregations, schools, camps and UCA affiliates, such as Uniting and Uniting AgeWell.

Property claims

If the matter is urgent, telephone (03) 9116 1905, otherwise email insurance@victas.uca.org.au.

If you are required to fill out a claim form these can be found here.

The full cost of replacement or reinstatement can be claimed.

Where property is stolen or damaged, metropolitan congregations must pay the first $2500 and rural congregations must pay the first $1000 of each claim. Please note that normal wear and tear and deterioration are not covered by the Property Policy.

If claim is large and/or complicated, we will arrange for a loss assessor to assist.

Motor vehicle claims

Lodge your claim online with Zurich Insurance here. Your Policy Number is 32 2239619 GFT.

For all other enquiries, email insurance@victas.uca.org.au.

Other claims

If you have another potential insurance claim, or if an incident has occurred that you think could result in a claim then contact us at insurance@victas.uca.org.au and include all relevant details, including contact information for any key people.

Hall Hire

Due to fluctuating COVID-19 restrictions, hall hire is being assessed on a case-by-case basis to ensure state government are adhered to.

Individuals or organisation hiring church halls or other church facilities are required to have Public Liability insurance in place. Individuals or organisations who don’t have Public Liability insurance can apply for public liability insurance at insurance@victas.uca.org.au.

The Hall Hirers application form can be obtained here.

Insurance certificates

If you require a copy of an insurance certificate (Certificate of Currency) email insurance@victas.uca.org.au and a copy will be sent within 24 hours.

Insurances that can be provided are:

• Public liability
• Professional indemnity
• Employment practices liability
• Volunteers personal accident
• Directors and officers liability

Public liability insurance is also available for infrequent hirers of Uniting Church property.

The public liability policy covers activities under the control and direction of the Uniting Church, including events held off-site.

Contacts

Telephone

03 9116 1905 (business hours)
0475 371168 (after hours)

Email

insurance@victas.uca.org.au

Our Internal Audit team provides professional expertise to presbyteries and congregations to assist them in fulfilling their responsibilities in relation to financial and non-financial risk management.

Reporting to the Synod’s Audit and Risk Committee, the role of Internal Audit is essentially to provide independent advice for key activities and processes across the Church.

Internal Audit provides insights and guidance to help ensure activities are conducted appropriately, effectively and efficiently and that related risks are minimised.

Differing from external audit, whose focus is primarily on the accuracy of the annual report and financial statements, internal audit provides insights and support across a range of areas important to the Church’s mission and operation.

Internal audit is a review activity, which seeks to work alongside the different Church councils to:

• understand the strengths and weaknesses of processes and provide guidance and expertise to support improving such processes and activities while reducing risk.
• ensure Church councils fulfil all relevant requirements.
• develop, implement and oversee strong internal control practices.

• establish a point of contact to support and educate the Church in internal controls, risk management and compliance.

Internal Audit program

An annual Internal Audit Plan is developed and approved by the Audit and Risk Committee and includes a number of internal audit projects across presbyteries and congregations.

The Internal Audit team will contact relevant stakeholders to advise of upcoming internal audit projects in the months preceding the planned activity and will seek to identify a suitable time to undertake the review.

Generally, there are four key steps of an internal audit process, as detailed below:

Scoping

• Development of scope document
• Discussion of scope with key stakeholders
• Confirming audit timing

Fieldwork

• Review of information and documentation
• Stakeholder interviews
• Process walkthroughs
• Controls testing

Reporting

• Discussing initial findings with key stakeholders
• Drafting and finalising findings and recommendations

Tracking

• Monitoring implementation of agreed actions
• Reporting on implementation to Audit and Risk Committee

Generally, the scope of an internal audit at a presbytery or congregation will consider key activities in relation to:

• Compliance
• Financial management
• Governance
• Ministry management
• OH&S
• Trust and bequest management

Contacts:

Tamika McLaren
Senior Advisor – Audit and Risk Management
03 9116 1902
tamika.mclaren@victas.uca.org.au

Ellena Graham
Internal Audit Advisor
03 9116 1901
ellena.graham@victas.uca.org.au

Our Risk Management team is responsible for supporting all areas of the Church in identifying, assessing and helping to manage key risks. It works with other Synod teams and church councils and its scope includes a wide range of areas, such as:

• Environment
• Finance and property
• IT/cybersecurity
• Legal/compliance
• Missional/operational
• People/vulnerable people
• Reputational

Risk management generally considers the following questions:

• What could prevent objectives?
• What could make the above happen?
• If something did go wrong, how bad could it be?
• What is being done or could be done to prevent things going wrong, or to minimise the impact when they go wrong?

We recognise effective risk management across all church councils is a key contributor towards achieving our missional and operational objectives and mitigating unwanted negative events.

Effective risk management supports sustainability and safeguards mission, people, reputation, operations, and finances; ultimately supporting the ongoing pursuit of our vision and mission.

To support presbyteries and congregations in their risk management activities, a risk management framework has been prepared that is available for presbyteries and congregations.

Fire safety

To ensure you are properly prepared for the fire season we recommend you download and complete the CFA Bushfire Survival Guide and the CCI Surviving Bushfire Checklist.

For support on emergency preparation and management, contact our Synod Safety Officer.

Contacts

General enquiries: riskmanagement@victas.uca.org.au

Tamika McLaren
Senior Advisor – Audit and Risk Management
03 9116 1902
tamika.mcLaren@victas.uca.org.au

Elnura Dulakovic
Synod Safety Officer
03 9116 1949
elnura.dulakovic@victas.uca.org.au