LOCAL GOVERNMENT (INTERMENT OF HUMAN REMAINS) AMENDMENT BILL

Introduction and First Reading

The Hon. I.F. EVANS (Davenport) (10:32): Obtained leave and introduced a bill for an act to amend the Local Government Act 1934. I bring to the house's attention that I am moving this bill in a slightly amended form. I had the date of the act wrong, so I bring that to the attention of the house. Read a first time.

Second Reading

The Hon. I.F. EVANS (Davenport) (10:32): I move:

That this bill be now read a second time.

In moving the bill, I will not hold the house long. This bill was before the house prior to the proroguing of parliament, so I am reintroducing it so the house can again consider debate on the bill. This matter was raised with me by the Australian Funeral Directors Association some time ago. This issue deals with the interment of human remains under the Local Government Act, hence the title of the bill.

The bill is very simple in its intent. The Australian Funeral Directors Association has been in negotiations with the government since April 2008—nearly four years—regarding this matter. The Australian Funeral Directors Association's advice to me is that when someone is cremated, a process is set out in the regulations attached to the current act. It requires a notice of identification to travel with the deceased so that when the person is cremated there is a guarantee of the identity of the person, and the reason for that requirement is obvious: it is hard to prove that the wrong person was cremated.

However, the Australian Funeral Directors Association has raised with me that when someone is buried, there is not the same requirement for certificate identification to travel with the deceased. The Funeral Directors Association is concerned that there is a loophole that allows for error, that being that the wrong person may well be buried in the wrong grave.

Of course, the problem with that, apart from great distress to the family concerned, is that the only way one can really check is to remove the coffins, etc., which obviously causes great distress to the families. This bill simply tries to tidy up something that the Australian Funeral Directors Association—the industry group—says will provide better public protection, and I hope the government and the house will support the bill in due course.

Debate adjourned on motion of Mrs Geraghty.