Ashes decision right one, say funeral directors

4 February 2015

Funeral directors welcome a Christchurch City Council hearings panel recommendation that the scattering of ashes in parks and reserves be removed from the proposed bylaws and considered separately to other bylaws which were marked as needing prior written permission, says the Funeral Directors Association.

Association Chief Executive Katrina Shanks said it was the correct decision.

“I congratulate the panel for recognising that it did not have enough information on the issue and to recommend to the full council that it consider the issue separately.

“Allowing time for the council to engage with the community and other groups so it can gather all the information is the right way to go and will ensure they come to the best decision.

“This issue can be upsetting to many families, so it’s important the right decision is reached in the right way.

“The Funeral Directors Association pointed out earlier this week that burial is often not an option for many families, particularly those on lower incomes, because burial plots are so expensive. That means cremation and then scattering the ashes are their only options.

“That means having a special place where they can scatter ashes and where family members can go to remember their loved ones is very important.

“Funeral directors understand the cultural issues that can arise around the scattering of ashes, but I think people are mostly already very respectful about the way they do that.

“As we have said, you don’t see people putting piles of ashes in parks and reserves. People are usually very discreet and private when it comes to these things, and they do realise that others are sensitive to such things.

“It seems excessive to create bylaws where there is no harm being performed with current behaviour and a bylaw which would be nearly impossible to enforce”.

Mrs Shanks says other councils have considered similar bylaws. Wellington was one of these, but decided to backtrack last year on a proposal that families could scatter ashes in parks and on beaches only after getting a permit and paying a fee.

© Scoop Media