FUNERAL directors in Bendigo remain against proposed changes in cemetery fees which could see prices of funerals skyrocket.
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Among the proposed changes from Remembrance Parks Central Victoria include rising fees such as the cost of a family-arranged cremation potentially from $950 to $1725 in the 2023-24 financial year - in line with the consumer price index - while the interment of someone could increase from $2475 to $4305.
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RPCV's cemetery fee proposal came from an external business review. The Department of Health has final say on whether the prosal will be approved.
Last month, RPCV chief executive Dean McElroy said the review showed the organisation was 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," he said. "We haven't had price adjustment since 2013, apart from department-appointed CPI increases."
William Farmer Funeral Directors' Jesse Cattell said he had submitted feedback and spoken to other funeral directors about the proposed changes.
"We did provide a submission and I know a number of funeral directors also sent things to different parliamentarians," he said.
"I've spoken to firms in Bendigo and we are all on the same page that they are extraordinarily high fee increases and not in the best interests of the community. At the end of the day families are paying (cemetery fees) and are the ones affected."
"When you compare (RPCV's) Class A cemetery trusts with others like Ballarat and Geelong, their fees are not similar. (RPCV) is operating at a profit and it seems crazy."
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Mr McElroy told the Bendigo Advertiser in April all feedback submissions received by May 3 would be include in the package submitted to the government for approval.
Mr Cattell said the lack of consultation regarding the fee increases was disappointing.
"Funeral directors and other stakeholders haven't seen enough discussion," he said. "I know it is just a proposal but I think could have been discussions before putting a proposal together like they have done."
A Department of Health spokesperson said cemetery trusts are self-funding statutory bodies and have the power to apply to change their fees and charges when they determine it's necessary.
"They can set fees and charges to earn enough revenue to meet their obligations, however they must make a formal application to the Department of Health for consent to alter these costs, and there is a clear process in place for this," the spokesperson said.
"The approval process can take up to several weeks, depending on the complexity of the application."
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