❓ A parliamentary question regarding the policies and procedures of cemetery boards in Western Australia concerning burial plot leases, memorial removal, and family notification. The answer clarifies the legal framework and operational practices.
AnsweredQoN 1328Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
Can the Minister for Local Government please advise: (a) what advice the Metropolitan Cemeteries Board and other cemetery boards provide to families of the deceased on the time periods that are applicable to burial plots; (b) does the Metropolitan Cemeteries Board and other cemetery boards advise families when the lease of a burial plot is due to expire, if so, when and what options are provided and, if not, why not; (c) does the Metropolitan Cemeteries Board and other cemetery boards advise families when headstones and memorials are removed from expired burial plots; (d) what safeguards and protocols are in place to ensure that headstones and memorials when removed are not damaged; (e) are these headstones and memorials stored or disposed of and, if so, how; and (f) are options provided to families to retain these headstones and memorials?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
21 August 2018
Responded by
Leader of the House representing the Minister for Local Government
Response time
9 days
(a) Section 25 of the Cemeteries Act 1986 (the Act) states that a grant of a right of burial may be granted for an initial term of 25 years and may be renewed for a further term of 25 years. The State’s cemetery boards, and local governments that are performing the functions of a cemetery board, operate in accordance with the Act.
(b) No, it is not a requirement of the Act.
(c) Yes
(d) Each cemetery board, and local government that is performing the functions of a cemetery board, has its own policies and procedures to ensure that any memorials that are removed are not damaged in the process.
(e) Section 39 of the Act specifies that the cemetery board, or local government that is performing the functions of a cemetery board, is to erect a memorial containing the names and other such details of deceased persons buried in the redevelopment area when a memorial is removed as part of the redevelopment process. Each board or local government will have its own policies and procedures in relation to their storage and/or disposal.
(f) Cemetery boards, and local governments that are performing the functions of a cemetery board, may give permission for a memorial to be removed, under section 30(3) of the Act.
(b) No, it is not a requirement of the Act.
(c) Yes
(d) Each cemetery board, and local government that is performing the functions of a cemetery board, has its own policies and procedures to ensure that any memorials that are removed are not damaged in the process.
(e) Section 39 of the Act specifies that the cemetery board, or local government that is performing the functions of a cemetery board, is to erect a memorial containing the names and other such details of deceased persons buried in the redevelopment area when a memorial is removed as part of the redevelopment process. Each board or local government will have its own policies and procedures in relation to their storage and/or disposal.
(f) Cemetery boards, and local governments that are performing the functions of a cemetery board, may give permission for a memorial to be removed, under section 30(3) of the Act.
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