Below you will find links to a variety of useful information websites, including government legislation and assistance, free legal aid services, grief support groups, various aligned organisations and charities etc, both nationally and within your State or Territory.
This page will be regularly updated to provide useful links to enhance your research and choices.
If you find any of the links are broken, or you would like to suggest additional information resources to be added, please contact us.
Links to external websites are provided for our visitor’s convenience. These links do not constitute an endorsement or a recommendation of any third party products or services offered by virtue of any information, material or content linked from or to this site. It is the responsibility of users to make their own decisions about the accuracy, currency, reliability, completeness and correctness of information found at these websites.
Resources from the Office of Advance Care Planning have been updated. Click on the links below to see more:
- Advance care planning for health professionals
- Decision making hierarchy
- Statement of Choices information sheet
- Guide for health professionals using the Statement of Choices
- Tip sheets for completing Statement of Choices:
End of Life / Palliative Care Web Sites
Pre-Paid Funerals, Funeral Bonds & Funeral Insurance
Legislation in relation to Pre-Paid Funerals
Australian Capital Territory, Western Australia and Northern Territory have no specific Acts or Regulations regarding Pre-paid Funerals.
Preparing a Will
Powers of Attorney
Public Trustee Web Sites
Estate Planning
Offices of Fair Trading
Legal Aid Web Sites
Grief Counselling – Support Groups
Seniors Organisations Web Sites
Aged Care Web Sites
Other useful Commonwealth Health links
Specific Funeral Industry Legislation
Very few Australian States and Territories have enacted a single ‘Funerals Act’ covering all aspects of arranging and conducting a funeral (except Victoria). However, most jurisdictions have enacted legislation to do with pre-paid funerals and the treatment of funeral funds.
Burial & Cremations Act
Births, Deaths & Marriages Acts
Coroners’ Acts
Coroner’s Offices
Wills and Probate Acts
Disposal of a Body – Legal Procedures
Australian Coffins & Caskets Legislation
The table below outlines the relevant State and Territory legislations and regulations for the use of coffins and caskets in Australia.
State | Relevant Acts / Regulations | Links | Comments |
---|---|---|---|
WA | Cremations Act 1929 | http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/wa/consol_act/ca1929110/ | Not covered |
WA Cremations Regulations 1954 | http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/wa/consol_reg/cr1954219/ | Not covered | |
QLD | Cremations Act 2003 | http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/qld/consol_act/ca2003128/ | Not covered |
Regulations 2014 | QLD Cremations Regulations 2014 | Not covered | |
TAS | Burial and Cremation (Handling of Human Remains) | http://www.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/viewdb/au/legis/tas/consol_reg/bacr2015292/ | Part25 Coffin construction |
Regulations 2015 | |||
Burial & Cremation Act 2002 | Burial & Cremation Act | Not covered | |
NSW | Public Health (Disposal of Bodies) Regulation 2002 | http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/nsw/repealed_reg/phobr2002371/ | Part 3 –Regulation 19 |
Public Health (Disposal of Bodies) Amendment (Cremation) Regulation 2011 | http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/nsw/num_reg/pha1991phobar20112011568l4n2011785.pdf | Schedule1; Clause 2 | |
Public Health Regulation 2012 | Disposal of the Deceased (NSW) | Part 8 –Regulation 63 | |
VIC | Victorian Cemeteries and Crematoria Regulations 2015 | VIC – Cemeteries and Crematoria | Part 5 –Regulations 16 & 17 |
SA | Burial & Cremation Act 2013 | http://www.legislation.sa.gov.au/LZ/C/A/BURIAL%20AND%20CREMATION%20ACT%202013.aspx | Not covered |
Burial & Cremation Regulations 2014 | http://www5.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/sa/consol_reg/bacr2014292/s9.html | Part 2 – Regulations14, 20 & 21 | |
NT | CEMETERIES ACT | Northern Territory Cemeteries Act – 1952 | Not covered |
CEMETERIES REGULATIONS | Changes to NT burial and cremation laws | Regulation 21 | |
ACT | Cemeteries and Crematoria (Code ofPractice) Approval 2007 | ACT Cemeteries Code of Practice | Sections 14 and 15. |
CEMETERIES AND CREMATORIA REGULATION 2003 | ACT Cemeteries & Crematoria ACT | Part 2 – Regulation 7 |