The New Zealand Cemeteries and Crematoria Collective (NZCCC) Ngā Rou Hotu has expressed strong concern at the Government’s decision to exclude cemeteries from the list of core services in the Draft Local Government (System Improvements) Amendment Bill.

This exclusion risks creating public confusion, as cemetery services are required every day across Aotearoa. It also directly contradicts existing legislation that obliges councils to provide cemeteries within their districts.

NZCCC Ngā Rou Hotu supports Whakatāne District Councillors’ concern at the Government’s stance, noting that local leaders share the sector’s frustration that cemeteries are not recognised as a core service.

NZCCC Ngā Rou Hotu Chair, Daniel Chrisp, said the omission reflects a lack of understanding of both local government functions and the essential role cemeteries play in communities.

“It’s frustrating that Central Government has taken this stance. It truly feels like significant overreach, especially given the legal obligation councils already hold. Cemeteries are not optional services – they are essential,” he said.

Mr Chrisp noted that the cemetery and crematoria sector has long been overlooked, with successive governments failing to review and modernise outdated legislation.

“Critical issues have been left to gather dust. Instead of piecemeal tweaks, the Government needs to take a strategic, big-picture approach. The Local Government Act, Resource Management Act, Burial and Cremation Act, and Cremation Regulations should be reviewed together and modernised as a collective package,” he added.

Under the current draft legislation, cemeteries could only be captured as “network infrastructure” or a “reserve.” NZCCC argues this definition diminishes their true purpose.

“Cemeteries are more than basic infrastructure,” Chrisp said. “They are places of remembrance, healing, and connection. They provide dignity for families in their most difficult moments. To exclude them from recognition as a core service is disrespectful both to grieving families and to the dedicated people who serve them, often without acknowledgment.”

NZCCC Ngā Rou Hotu is calling on the Government to urgently review this decision and to engage meaningfully with the sector to ensure cemeteries and crematoria are recognised as the essential services they are.

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