Auckland fee rises unfair and will hurt many, say funeral directors

Many grieving Auckland families will be hit hard by the council’s new fees for burial plots, ash plots and interments which came into effect on Wednesday, says the Funeral Directors Association of NZ (FDANZ).

Fees for burial plots across the Auckland Council region have increased by an average 22 per cent, fees for ash plots by 10 per cent, and interment fees by 140 per cent.

FDANZ Chief Executive Katrina Shanks says increasing plots by up to $1400 in the name of “harmonising” fees cannot be justified, and will put further pressure on families who are already struggling with the cost of funerals.

The fee increases include:

· Manukau Memorial Gardens burial plot: from $3464 to $4000, up $536 (15%), plus interment $1072
· Papakura burial plot: $1678 to $2000, up $322 (19%), plus interment $1400, up $857 (158%)
· Papakura 0-12 years burial plot: $543 to $2000, up $1457 (268%), plus interment $550, up $176 (47%)
· Franklin children burial plot: $593 to $1000, up $407 (69%), plus interment $550, up $58 (12%)
· Franklin standard burial interment: $797 to $1400, up $603 (76%). Single burial interment: $630 to $1400, up $770 (122%)
· Waikaraka ash plot garden: $647 to $1000, up $353 (55%), plus interment $340
· Waikaraka interment: $704 to $1350, up $646 (92%)
· Waikumete ash plot garden: $1708 to $2533, up $825 (48%), plus interment $300

Mrs Shanks says the rises are unfair because they will make the cost of dying very hard for many families.

“We are very disappointed by these increases. Councillors have ignored our pleas for them to take into account the effect they will have on low-income families and on some cultures.

“The council has a monopoly on cemeteries, that’s why these increases are unfair. Families have nowhere else they can go unless they want to travel outside the region.

“They are stuck with a council that seems intent on covering their costs and is not interested in doing the right thing by grieving families.

“The council is required by law to provide facilities and services that are affordable to everyone but these increases are taking affordability out of the reach of many.

“Low-income families in particular will be hit hard.

“The council cannot hide behind the fact that Work and Income provides funeral grants of up to $2008 to cover burial, plot and cremation charges, because that goes nowhere near to covering the cost. That’s a pathetic argument.

“In the case of burial plots and interments, the council is pricing people out of the market and will force many to opt for cremation because it’s a cheaper option, when their preference is for burial. But even then the costs for ashes interment have also gone up so they will have no option but to find the money somewhere.

“These fee rises are particularly unfair on cultures where burial has been practised for centuries.

“In particular, many Maori and Pacific Island families like to bury their loved ones and part of that ritual involves placing soil on the casket. By making burials unaffordable, the council is interfering with that ritual.

“I’m also disappointed the council did not notify our association of these increases until two days before they came into effect.

“The council is showing it’s insensitive to the needs of families, particularly those who can least afford it. It has previously tried to make big changes to its cemetery and crematoria bylaws that would have disadvantaged a great many people, and it was only public pressure that forced it to change its mind.”

ends

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