Australian Capital Territory

Cemeteries and Crematoria (Public Cemetery Fees) Determination 2009 (No 1)
Disallowable Instrument DI 2009 – 208
made under the
Cemeteries and Crematoria Act 2003, Section 49 (Determination of fees)

EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

The Cemeteries and Crematoria Act 2003 (the Act) regulates the operation of cemeteries and crematoria.  Section 49 of the Act provides the Minister with the power to determine fees for the purposes of the Act.

Public cemeteries and crematoria are managed by the ACT Public Cemeteries Authority (the Authority).  The Authority is required to operate on a sound financial basis.

This determination revokes the previous fee determination (DI 2008 - 155) which set the Authority’s fees for the period up to from 1 July 2008 to 30 September 2009 and determines fees from 1 October 2009.

Generally, the total effect of fee increases is a rise of approximately six percent, in line with the movement of costs incurred by the broader cemetery industry and to ensure the Authority can meet its long term Perpetual Care Trust obligations under the Act. 

Separate fee components may vary from this amount. For example, the maintenance component of Gungahlin Cemetery plaque beam, children’s garden and ex-service allotments has been brought into line with other lawn areas at Gungahlin and Woden cemeteries. This component has risen by as much as 90 percent with the effect on the total fee for a grave site being in the order of 20 percent increase for those options.

Fees for Mausoleum crypts have not been increased, due to a significant fall in the number of sales of crypts and their relatively high fee.

The new fee determination takes effect on from 1 October 2009.