Input sought on changes to burial act

TASMANIANS are expected to rush to have their say on proposed changes to burial legislation as angst over the pending sale of Anglican churches, and their attached graveyards, continues.

Proposed amendments to the Burial and Cremation Amendment Bill 2018 include a five-yearly compliance audit, increasing maximum penalties, giving the regulator more teeth and increasing the time, after the last burial, in which a cemetery can be closed from 30 to 100 years.

Attorney-General Elise Archer said the existing legislation already required cemetery managers to maintain the cemetery, allow public access and honour exclusive rights of burial.

“However, moving forward, cemetery managers will only be body corporates, removing the risk associated with cemeteries being managed by private individuals who may not be able to continue managing the cemetery due to illness or death.”

Meanwhile, Tasmania’s Anglican parishes have until Friday to make submissions to the diocese to take their buildings off the list of 108 properties, including 76 churches, the synod agreed to sell to fund the church’s redress commitments related to child sexual abuse. Many of those churches have historic graveyards attached.

Bishop Richard Condie said some churches had already been taken off the list for sale.

In his latest newsletter to parishioners, Bishop Condie said one parish planned to sell a block of vacant land, rather than a church, to cover its redress commitments while others had been able to raise their contribution and have their church removed from the list.

“One parish is working on subdividing the land so that a portion can be sold, and the church building retained. In addition to this the diocese has had a number of offers to purchase church buildings to retain them for community use,” he said.

Ms Archer said the sale of local churches was ultimately a matter for the Anglican Church but the State Government understood community concerns.

Information on the proposed legislation changes is available on the Department of Premier and Cabinet website and the deadline for feedback is October 14.