Have say on probe after burial costs skyrocket
ROOKWOOD might be the largest, oldest and most multicultural working cemetery in the southern hemisphere but burials don’t come cheap and it is filling up fast.
An interim report by the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) into the costs and pricing for interment services, has again highlighted a lack of burial space as one of the major challenges facing cemeteries.
IPART’s acting chair Deborah Cope said the cost of locating, purchasing and developing land for cemeteries, particularly in Sydney, was “becoming prohibitive”.
Other issues include the need to ensure adequate funds to maintain cemeteries once they are full and a wide variation in prices which can make it difficult for consumers to compare prices.
A submission by Rookwood General Cemeteries Reserve Land Manager (RGC) in June last year, noted that at approximately $10,000, even the cheapest of burials at Rookwood, was “effectively a form of discrimination against families of limited financial means”.
Ms Cope said the interim report recommended all cemetery operators be required to publish itemised prices using consistent terminology to help people make informed decisions at a difficult time.
“Everyone has a right to a dignified interment, so interment prices must be affordable and equitable,” she said.
“But it’s equally as important that cemeteries operate in a way that is financially sustainable, including making provision for maintaining the cemetery now and into the future.”
Submissions on the interim report can be made until February 14 at ipart.nsw.gov.au.
A draft report will be released for further comment in June, with IPART’s final recommendations due in October.
