Following Cabinet approval, the Ministry of Health has formally commenced consultation on options to reform the Burial and Cremation Act 1964 and related legislation. This work follows the 2015 Law Commission report Death, Burial and Cremation: A new law for contemporary New Zealand, which made recommendations to modernise the law that governs death, burial, cremation and funerals in New Zealand.

In response, the Ministry of Health has prepared a consultation document that identifies and considers options for modernising the legislation relating to death, burial, cremation and funerals in New Zealand. The Ministry will be seeking widespread feedback on the options developed.

The consultation document and related survey can be found by clicking the button at the end of this email.

You/your organisation, group or agency may be interested in the proposed reforms and able to provide constructive feedback thereon. The ministry welcomes your feedback via the survey.

If you and/or others in your agency wish to meet with the Ministry to discuss the proposals, please contact burialandcremation@health.govt.nz

You are welcome to share the enclosed link with any other relevant people or networks who you think may have valuable insight to offer on any of the options for reform.

Detail on how to make a formal submission is also included in the link below.

Submissions close 21 October 2020