New guidelines on the placing of ornaments on graves at Griffith Cemetery are open for public comment until this Friday, November 10.
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The policy on ornaments in and around graves came under fire earlier this year after council removed vases with flowers and other items from graves without informing family members beforehand.
As a result of community outcry, a motion was raised at a council meeting on June 13 to place a temporary halt to the removals, and review the current policy.
A Cemetery Working Group was formed to devise recommendations of a new cemetery management plan. The working group is made up of councillors, local funeral directors and members of the community.
Working Group community representative Carmel La Rocca, who was critical of the way council removed ornaments earlier this year, is more satisfied with the way the matter is now progressing.
“In this particular instance, council is working well with the community to put a final cemetery management plan in place”.
“The plan needs to be for the community, and to show respect for the different ways people grieve”.
“I’m glad I worked on the plan and I was happy to help”.
The final recommendations and proposed amendments to the cemetery management plan have been available online for several weeks. Members of the public have until Friday to make a submission providing their views.
Key recommendations include:
- Council replace existing supplied vases with core drilled receptacles.
- Flowers may be placed in the council provided receptacles.
- Additional flowers placed on graves will be removed if they are deemed to interfere with maintenance activities or when the flowers deteriorate.
- Embellishments are allowed to be placed on the top section of the concrete beam, immediately above the plaque.
- Embellishments are allowed to be placed on the plaque.
- No embellishments should be placed on either side of the plaque.
- Embellishments are to be up to a maximum height of 150mm.
- Small flags can be placed on graves on appropriate national days, including Australia Day and ANZAC Day, but will need to be removed within seven days of being placed.
A full list of recommendations and all further details on the Cemetery Working Group discussions are found on Griffith City Council’s website.
Oliver Jacques
Moved to Griffith as a refugee from Sydney traffic and housing prices. Previously freelanced for The Guardian, ABC, SBS and Daily Telegraph. Email story ideas to oliver.jacques@fairfaxmedia.com.au
Moved to Griffith as a refugee from Sydney traffic and housing prices. Previously freelanced for The Guardian, ABC, SBS and Daily Telegraph. Email story ideas to oliver.jacques@fairfaxmedia.com.au
