An investigation of cemetery fees charged by 15 councils which manage cemeteries from Christchurch south reveals Dunedin is the most expensive place to buy a plot for an adult and have them buried.
Dunedin City Council manages 20 cemeteries.
The $3843 cost to bury an adult in 15 of those cemeteries is 145% more expensive than the median price charged by Central Otago District Council.
The cost to bury an adult in the five other Dunedin cemeteries — Hindon, Otokia, Waitati, Middlemarch and Purakaunui — is $2382.
Christchurch City places second on the most expensive list ($2740) but is 40% cheaper than the median plot and burial fee in Dunedin.
DCC parks and recreation group manager Robert West said the charges reflected the cost of service delivery and maintenance of the 20 cemeteries in Dunedin.
A review of fees and charges for parks and recreation services and facilities was scheduled for next year, he said.
The council provided financial help for people who could not afford to pay the fees.
Under the Burial and Cremations Act 1964, the DCC could permit the body of any poor person, and any person from any hospital, prison or other institution to be buried or cremated free of charge.
The DCC approved 20 applications for the free service last year.
Dunedin Budget Advisory Service executive officer Andrew Henderson said many people in Dunedin ‘‘struggled’’ to pay funeral costs.
‘‘It’s a difficult time for low-income families.’’
Funerals were a big business and he had heard burial costs in Dunedin were expensive.
The cost of funerals had forced some Dunedin families to become insolvent.
Some of his clients had funeral insurance, he said.
‘‘They are worried about leaving a debt for their family so they have this funeral cover they can’t really afford.’’
Ministry of Social Development client service delivery general manager Gagau Annandale-Stone said the ministry provided funeral grants to its clients who had no other means with which to meet the costs of a funeral.
The grant was income and asset tested and was paid out to a maximum of $2030.91.
‘‘While we don’t cover the whole costs of the funeral — actual and reasonable costs only — our clients do not have to pay the funeral grant money back.
‘‘We recognise how the loss of a family member can affect our clients and we want to provide them as much assistance as we can.’’
The DCC charges $943 to cremate an adult.
Cost of a grave
Median price for an adult plot, burial and maintenance (2018-19)
Council ........................................Fee
Dunedin City ............................$3843
Christchurch City .....................$2740
Selwyn district .........................$2601
Clutha district ...........................$2390
Waitaki district..........................$2200
Ashburton district ....................$2035
Timaru district..........................$2155
Queenstown-Lakes district......$2075
Invercargill City ........................$1940
Southland district.....................$1940
Mackenzie district ....................$1912
Waimate district.......................$1820
Westland district ......................$1703
Gore district .............................$1640
Central Otago district ...............$1568
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Comments
Luxury...we were evicted from our hole in the ground.
Robert West is evading the underlying question why Dunedin is so much more expensive than other places. I would hazard a guess that it is due to substandard management and outsourcing activities combined with unfair overhead cost allocation as compared with other councils.