PROPOSED price changes for cemetery fees and services at Remembrance Parks Central Victoria will see families paying more to farewell their loved ones.
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If approved, people will see the cost of a family-arranged cremation rise from $950 to $1725 in the 2023-24 financial year - in line with the consumer price index - while the interment of someone will increase from $2475 to $4305.
The proposed changes have left Bendigo Funerals owner Simon Mulqueen outraged.
"From our perspective it is distressing. We find it distasteful at the least," he said. "There is no justification for this. It's just a money grab.
'Under section 10 of the Cemeteries Act, trusts have responsibilities to the community. My view is the trust has abandoned the community in favour of money."
Remembrance Parks Central Victoria chief executive Dean McElroy said the fee changes were proposed with the Department of Health having final approval.
"In 2021, we engaged an external organisation for a business review, which identified a range of things that were restricting our business," he said.
"The business review pointed out that we were reliant on grant funding and subsidies to make a profit and that's not sustainable.
"We need to be sustainable through the products and services we offer. Everything we make gets reinvested into the cemeteries.
"We haven't had price adjustment since 2013, apart from department-appointed CPI increases."
Mr McElroy said the price changes would bring the RPCV fees in line with Class A cemeteries.
"We are using this opportunity to bring ourselves up to a standard where we can provide the community with choice," he said. "Looking at the items increasing, it is literally following a formula of the department.
"What we are looking at doing is providing a range of options when planning for end of life. Current services are restrictive in options, (the proposed changes) offer a range of new products and services to give the community choice.
"Under the Cemeteries and Crematoria Act, the (RPCV) has a responsibility to ensure its cemeteries have long-term financial sustainability. That includes the process to do fees and charges reviews, and looking at products and services to support that obligation."
"This doesn't benefit funeral directors, it's the community buying the graves - the people who have bereavements," he said. "In the end the client's family is paying.
"It's important the community is aware of these (proposed) cost changes. They have a right to make a submission to the (RPCV) and minister for health and ask that these (changes) are stopped.
"It is certainly a slap in face to the local community in my view. This is using their monopoly status - as the only cemetery and crematorium in Bendigo - to grab for cash. At the end of the day it's unfair and wrong."
Mr McElroy encouraged people to view the proposed changes and submit feedback by May 3.
"All submissions received by that due date will be part of a package we need to submit to the department as part of the process to get approval," he said. "We encourage all funeral directors and community members to take part.
"The changes were advertised in the Bendigo Advertiser and the Shepparton newspapers and are calling for feedback to be submitted."
To view the proposed changes to fees and services visit www.rpcv.com.au
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