Page 660 - Week 02 - Thursday, 20 February 2020
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obligations, including transferring all records to the new operator if ownership of the facility is changing, or to the ACT government if the facility is closing. They must also be satisfied that all pre-sold interment rights have been fulfilled or refunded. Through these provisions the public can be confident that records will not be lost, pre-sold services will be accommodated, or rights holders will be refunded, and transfers and closures will be conducted in a way which respects the seriousness and important nature of the services they provide.
What was revealed a little over a year ago should never have happened and it should never happen again. I really hope we are all in serious agreement about that in this place. But, as a result of what was revealed, as a result of Eddy Mol’s courage in coming forward at great personal cost—I cannot impress more seriously in this chamber at what cost this has come to Eddy in his grief—we are going to make things better. The government has stepped up and developed significant regulatory reform to ensure that these critical services are always of the highest standard, the standard the community expects. I commend the bill to the Assembly.
MR STEEL (Murrumbidgee—Minister for City Services, Minister for Multicultural Affairs, Minister for Recycling and Waste Reduction, Minister for Roads and Active Travel and Minister for Transport) (5.02), in reply: Cemeteries and crematoria provide essential services for our community. They care for our loved ones after they pass, support families through times of great distress, and help people grieve and say goodbye to their loved ones. The government has an important role in providing these services through our three public cemeteries at Hall, Gungahlin and Woden, and the new public crematorium to be built in Gungahlin this year; and, importantly, as the regulator for the industry.
The Cemeteries and Crematoria Act 2003 is now more than 15 years old. The comprehensive review into the management of cemeteries in the ACT has revealed that it no longer reflects modern expectations or provides for all the needs of our diverse ACT community, and needs to be updated. The government have undertaken a review of cemeteries and crematoria in the ACT. We have, sadly, uncovered a number of issues in the area, including deficiencies in record keeping in the tragic case of lost ashes at the privately operated crematorium at Norwood Park. We also found that the diverse religious and cultural needs of our community were not being fully met.
In November I introduced the Cemeteries and Crematoria Bill into this Assembly to ensure that the ACT has a regulatory framework that will deliver financial sustainability, good governance and best practice facilities that will meet the needs of our community. Canberrans should be able to expect that their loved ones will be treated with dignity and care at all times. This bill introduces stronger regulation of cemeteries and crematoria to ensure that no ashes are lost again and that the facilities, public or private, operating in our city do so sensitively and responsibly.
I am incredible disappointed and surprised by the comments from the opposition, writing off this necessary regulatory intervention as red tape. I cannot believe that has been uttered in today’s debate. I did not expect that today, given the circumstances
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