Photo: Funerals provided / Davis
People in the Death Business would like the updated 1964 burial and cremation law, saying that it did not follow the changes in technology.
They also said that there are no clear rules about what to do with ashes that no one accumulates.
About five years ago, there has been a public consultation about the update of the legislation, but nothing has happened since then.
Kapiti Funeral Homes Director -Managing Director said Andrew Malcolm Verification point It is very common for families not to catch ashes.
“It’s one of those things that often in a desire, for example, you asked if you want burial or cremation, but it’s not common for the next question: And what do you want to do with your ashes?”
“As a funeral director, obviously, we do this when we are talking to the family beforehand or at the time of death, but at death, it often becomes very difficult.”
He said that after the funeral, when there is less pressure, family members may return home.
“Decision makers go to different parts of Motu or even abroad and this decision is not made.”
They have a team member whose only job is to stay at the top of the ballot box that have been on the shelf for a long time.
“We try not to pursue people, but at the same time, at the time of the funeral, they say, oh, we can make that decision later.
“The decision makers, as I said, often dispersed at that time, that then makes the decision that surrounds and emails back and forwards discussions?”
He said that while there is information provided by funeral houses and the national office on what to do with the ashes, he would like to see a clear legal directive.
“The 52 -year -old cremation regulations, almost as bad as the burial’s act of cremation. There is a part in the disposal of ashes, there are six clear points and none of them talk about what to do with ashes and if they are not collected from the crematorium.”
“The answer they have is just ridiculous. Is that they will enter a plot somewhere, what will not do, because who will pay for the plot? Where will they come in?
Photo: RNZ / ALEXANDER ROBERTSON
In the law of burial and cremation, the only guidelines must have respect for the property of others and think about where people disperse them.
“We have a lot of people coming back years later, who are doing well in the records that were scattered on the bush.”
“We would love to go somewhere and reflect or have a point of reference to return, and there is no.”
He said that an unusual dispersion of which he was part was one of New Zealand’s first helicopter pilots.
“I spread New Zealand’s first female helicopters via helicopter over Tararua’s tracks.”
Other ways besides the burning of cremation in New Zealand are not allowed, he said.
“There are layers in New Zealand, do you have your local regulation and if you can fulfill those who say they can’t make a cremation in the water?”
“We were approached by the Law Commission in 2010 to start analyzing all these regulations and worked hard with them to get a really robust regulatory group that was up to date and, of course, he then sits on a shelf.”
He said a type of cremation he would like to see legally is human composting.
“This sounds very horrible, and they have a very chic name for that. But in fact, this is kind of Kiwi, in a sense, if you could composite your body down and then put it in a good small space where you could put a tree or plant in it.”
He said he has a problem with the cremation of the water, as it involves the bone to be necessary to be dispersed.
“It is basically very similar to the cremation that uses alkaline hydrolysis to really turn the deceased into brittle bone. This bone is ground, if you want, until Ash. So you end ashes as you would with a fire cremation.”
“My problem with this is exactly how do you disperse it in the water? They are working on ways to leave it in the cemetery, somehow building some pile.”
A spokesman for Health Minister Simeon Brown said the ministry has made some non-regulatory changes after its public consultation on the 1964 burial and cremation law.
This includes an on -line death certification process and updated guidance to support professionals.
The ministry has begun to reassess political work on law review – and will also begin a review of the 1973 cremation regulations this year.
The minister hopes to receive advice on the improvements that can be made in the regulations in due time.
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