❓ A WA parliamentary question seeks details on the cost of Aboriginal funerals paid for by the Department of Community Development. The answer provides cost breakdowns and clarifies the department's policies, including cultural considerations and limited weekend funeral funding.
AnsweredQoN 3491Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to a report in
The West Australian
of Friday 24 February 2006 on page five that states that ‘A spokeswoman for the Department of Community Development which last year paid up to $5 000 each for 225 Aboriginal funerals…’ and ask -
(1) What was the cost of the least expensive Aboriginal funeral paid for last year?
(2) What was the cost of the most expensive Aboriginal funeral paid for last year?
(3) What is the cost of a ‘typical’ Aboriginal funeral paid for last year?
(4) For (1), (2) and (3) please provide a detailed breakdown of -
(a) the costs for items making up the cost of each funeral (e.g. the internment in the grave);
(b) the cost of holding a funeral;
(c) the cost if the funeral was held on a Saturday, Sunday or a public holiday; and
(d) travel expenses for family?
The West Australian
of Friday 24 February 2006 on page five that states that ‘A spokeswoman for the Department of Community Development which last year paid up to $5 000 each for 225 Aboriginal funerals…’ and ask -
(1) What was the cost of the least expensive Aboriginal funeral paid for last year?
(2) What was the cost of the most expensive Aboriginal funeral paid for last year?
(3) What is the cost of a ‘typical’ Aboriginal funeral paid for last year?
(4) For (1), (2) and (3) please provide a detailed breakdown of -
(a) the costs for items making up the cost of each funeral (e.g. the internment in the grave);
(b) the cost of holding a funeral;
(c) the cost if the funeral was held on a Saturday, Sunday or a public holiday; and
(d) travel expenses for family?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
23 May 2006
Responded by
Parliamentary Secretary representing the Minister for Community Development
Response time
19 days
(b) the cost of holding a funeral; (c) the cost if the funeral was held on a Saturday, Sunday or a public holiday; and (d) travel expenses for family?
(c) the cost if the funeral was held on a Saturday, Sunday or a public holiday; and (d) travel expenses for family?
(d) travel expenses for family?
The lowest contract price for a funeral is approximately $1,400. (2) The highest contract price for a funeral is approximately $4,700. (3) The Department for Community Development does not differentiate between Indigenous and non - Indigenous funerals. The policy has the flexibility to take into consideration cultural factors such as the use of a culturally appropriate funeral director or returning the deceased to their lands. The average net cost (after contributions and recovery action) for a government assisted funeral is approximately $1,700. (4) (a & b) The costs of holding a funeral will vary from location to location. In the metropolitan area the Department has one contractor. The contract price for conducting a funeral would be approximately $1,700. This can be broken down to i) cemetery and grave digging fees $770, ii) minister's fee $100, iii) press notice $70, iv) coffin $210, v) funeral director's fees $550. As regional and remote areas are serviced by numerous contractors, both the contract price and the cemetery/grave digging fees will vary from one Local Government Authority to another. (c) Departmental policy is for the funding of funerals on a weekday. However, the Department can approve a Saturday funeral in remote and regional centres where the applicant can demonstrate that exceptional circumstance exist. At this stage the cost of such a funeral is not known as no weekend funeral has been funded. (d) The Department does not assist family with travel expenses.
(2) The highest contract price for a funeral is approximately $4,700. (3) The Department for Community Development does not differentiate between Indigenous and non - Indigenous funerals. The policy has the flexibility to take into consideration cultural factors such as the use of a culturally appropriate funeral director or returning the deceased to their lands. The average net cost (after contributions and recovery action) for a government assisted funeral is approximately $1,700. (4) (a & b) The costs of holding a funeral will vary from location to location. In the metropolitan area the Department has one contractor. The contract price for conducting a funeral would be approximately $1,700. This can be broken down to i) cemetery and grave digging fees $770, ii) minister's fee $100, iii) press notice $70, iv) coffin $210, v) funeral director's fees $550. As regional and remote areas are serviced by numerous contractors, both the contract price and the cemetery/grave digging fees will vary from one Local Government Authority to another. (c) Departmental policy is for the funding of funerals on a weekday. However, the Department can approve a Saturday funeral in remote and regional centres where the applicant can demonstrate that exceptional circumstance exist. At this stage the cost of such a funeral is not known as no weekend funeral has been funded. (d) The Department does not assist family with travel expenses.
(3) The Department for Community Development does not differentiate between Indigenous and non - Indigenous funerals. The policy has the flexibility to take into consideration cultural factors such as the use of a culturally appropriate funeral director or returning the deceased to their lands. The average net cost (after contributions and recovery action) for a government assisted funeral is approximately $1,700. (4) (a & b) The costs of holding a funeral will vary from location to location. In the metropolitan area the Department has one contractor. The contract price for conducting a funeral would be approximately $1,700. This can be broken down to i) cemetery and grave digging fees $770, ii) minister's fee $100, iii) press notice $70, iv) coffin $210, v) funeral director's fees $550. As regional and remote areas are serviced by numerous contractors, both the contract price and the cemetery/grave digging fees will vary from one Local Government Authority to another. (c) Departmental policy is for the funding of funerals on a weekday. However, the Department can approve a Saturday funeral in remote and regional centres where the applicant can demonstrate that exceptional circumstance exist. At this stage the cost of such a funeral is not known as no weekend funeral has been funded. (d) The Department does not assist family with travel expenses.
The average net cost (after contributions and recovery action) for a government assisted funeral is approximately $1,700. (4) (a & b) The costs of holding a funeral will vary from location to location. In the metropolitan area the Department has one contractor. The contract price for conducting a funeral would be approximately $1,700. This can be broken down to i) cemetery and grave digging fees $770, ii) minister's fee $100, iii) press notice $70, iv) coffin $210, v) funeral director's fees $550. As regional and remote areas are serviced by numerous contractors, both the contract price and the cemetery/grave digging fees will vary from one Local Government Authority to another. (c) Departmental policy is for the funding of funerals on a weekday. However, the Department can approve a Saturday funeral in remote and regional centres where the applicant can demonstrate that exceptional circumstance exist. At this stage the cost of such a funeral is not known as no weekend funeral has been funded. (d) The Department does not assist family with travel expenses.
(4) (a & b) The costs of holding a funeral will vary from location to location. In the metropolitan area the Department has one contractor. The contract price for conducting a funeral would be approximately $1,700. This can be broken down to i) cemetery and grave digging fees $770, ii) minister's fee $100, iii) press notice $70, iv) coffin $210, v) funeral director's fees $550. As regional and remote areas are serviced by numerous contractors, both the contract price and the cemetery/grave digging fees will vary from one Local Government Authority to another. (c) Departmental policy is for the funding of funerals on a weekday. However, the Department can approve a Saturday funeral in remote and regional centres where the applicant can demonstrate that exceptional circumstance exist. At this stage the cost of such a funeral is not known as no weekend funeral has been funded. (d) The Department does not assist family with travel expenses.
As regional and remote areas are serviced by numerous contractors, both the contract price and the cemetery/grave digging fees will vary from one Local Government Authority to another. (c) Departmental policy is for the funding of funerals on a weekday. However, the Department can approve a Saturday funeral in remote and regional centres where the applicant can demonstrate that exceptional circumstance exist. At this stage the cost of such a funeral is not known as no weekend funeral has been funded. (d) The Department does not assist family with travel expenses.
(c) Departmental policy is for the funding of funerals on a weekday. However, the Department can approve a Saturday funeral in remote and regional centres where the applicant can demonstrate that exceptional circumstance exist. At this stage the cost of such a funeral is not known as no weekend funeral has been funded. (d) The Department does not assist family with travel expenses.
(d) The Department does not assist family with travel expenses.
(c) the cost if the funeral was held on a Saturday, Sunday or a public holiday; and (d) travel expenses for family?
(d) travel expenses for family?
The lowest contract price for a funeral is approximately $1,400. (2) The highest contract price for a funeral is approximately $4,700. (3) The Department for Community Development does not differentiate between Indigenous and non - Indigenous funerals. The policy has the flexibility to take into consideration cultural factors such as the use of a culturally appropriate funeral director or returning the deceased to their lands. The average net cost (after contributions and recovery action) for a government assisted funeral is approximately $1,700. (4) (a & b) The costs of holding a funeral will vary from location to location. In the metropolitan area the Department has one contractor. The contract price for conducting a funeral would be approximately $1,700. This can be broken down to i) cemetery and grave digging fees $770, ii) minister's fee $100, iii) press notice $70, iv) coffin $210, v) funeral director's fees $550. As regional and remote areas are serviced by numerous contractors, both the contract price and the cemetery/grave digging fees will vary from one Local Government Authority to another. (c) Departmental policy is for the funding of funerals on a weekday. However, the Department can approve a Saturday funeral in remote and regional centres where the applicant can demonstrate that exceptional circumstance exist. At this stage the cost of such a funeral is not known as no weekend funeral has been funded. (d) The Department does not assist family with travel expenses.
(2) The highest contract price for a funeral is approximately $4,700. (3) The Department for Community Development does not differentiate between Indigenous and non - Indigenous funerals. The policy has the flexibility to take into consideration cultural factors such as the use of a culturally appropriate funeral director or returning the deceased to their lands. The average net cost (after contributions and recovery action) for a government assisted funeral is approximately $1,700. (4) (a & b) The costs of holding a funeral will vary from location to location. In the metropolitan area the Department has one contractor. The contract price for conducting a funeral would be approximately $1,700. This can be broken down to i) cemetery and grave digging fees $770, ii) minister's fee $100, iii) press notice $70, iv) coffin $210, v) funeral director's fees $550. As regional and remote areas are serviced by numerous contractors, both the contract price and the cemetery/grave digging fees will vary from one Local Government Authority to another. (c) Departmental policy is for the funding of funerals on a weekday. However, the Department can approve a Saturday funeral in remote and regional centres where the applicant can demonstrate that exceptional circumstance exist. At this stage the cost of such a funeral is not known as no weekend funeral has been funded. (d) The Department does not assist family with travel expenses.
(3) The Department for Community Development does not differentiate between Indigenous and non - Indigenous funerals. The policy has the flexibility to take into consideration cultural factors such as the use of a culturally appropriate funeral director or returning the deceased to their lands. The average net cost (after contributions and recovery action) for a government assisted funeral is approximately $1,700. (4) (a & b) The costs of holding a funeral will vary from location to location. In the metropolitan area the Department has one contractor. The contract price for conducting a funeral would be approximately $1,700. This can be broken down to i) cemetery and grave digging fees $770, ii) minister's fee $100, iii) press notice $70, iv) coffin $210, v) funeral director's fees $550. As regional and remote areas are serviced by numerous contractors, both the contract price and the cemetery/grave digging fees will vary from one Local Government Authority to another. (c) Departmental policy is for the funding of funerals on a weekday. However, the Department can approve a Saturday funeral in remote and regional centres where the applicant can demonstrate that exceptional circumstance exist. At this stage the cost of such a funeral is not known as no weekend funeral has been funded. (d) The Department does not assist family with travel expenses.
The average net cost (after contributions and recovery action) for a government assisted funeral is approximately $1,700. (4) (a & b) The costs of holding a funeral will vary from location to location. In the metropolitan area the Department has one contractor. The contract price for conducting a funeral would be approximately $1,700. This can be broken down to i) cemetery and grave digging fees $770, ii) minister's fee $100, iii) press notice $70, iv) coffin $210, v) funeral director's fees $550. As regional and remote areas are serviced by numerous contractors, both the contract price and the cemetery/grave digging fees will vary from one Local Government Authority to another. (c) Departmental policy is for the funding of funerals on a weekday. However, the Department can approve a Saturday funeral in remote and regional centres where the applicant can demonstrate that exceptional circumstance exist. At this stage the cost of such a funeral is not known as no weekend funeral has been funded. (d) The Department does not assist family with travel expenses.
(4) (a & b) The costs of holding a funeral will vary from location to location. In the metropolitan area the Department has one contractor. The contract price for conducting a funeral would be approximately $1,700. This can be broken down to i) cemetery and grave digging fees $770, ii) minister's fee $100, iii) press notice $70, iv) coffin $210, v) funeral director's fees $550. As regional and remote areas are serviced by numerous contractors, both the contract price and the cemetery/grave digging fees will vary from one Local Government Authority to another. (c) Departmental policy is for the funding of funerals on a weekday. However, the Department can approve a Saturday funeral in remote and regional centres where the applicant can demonstrate that exceptional circumstance exist. At this stage the cost of such a funeral is not known as no weekend funeral has been funded. (d) The Department does not assist family with travel expenses.
As regional and remote areas are serviced by numerous contractors, both the contract price and the cemetery/grave digging fees will vary from one Local Government Authority to another. (c) Departmental policy is for the funding of funerals on a weekday. However, the Department can approve a Saturday funeral in remote and regional centres where the applicant can demonstrate that exceptional circumstance exist. At this stage the cost of such a funeral is not known as no weekend funeral has been funded. (d) The Department does not assist family with travel expenses.
(c) Departmental policy is for the funding of funerals on a weekday. However, the Department can approve a Saturday funeral in remote and regional centres where the applicant can demonstrate that exceptional circumstance exist. At this stage the cost of such a funeral is not known as no weekend funeral has been funded. (d) The Department does not assist family with travel expenses.
(d) The Department does not assist family with travel expenses.
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