Funeral and Burial Instructions: Consultation Paper

9. Conclusion

9.1 This consultation paper sets out the law in Victoria in relation to funeral and burial instructions. It also reviews recent legal developments in domestic and international common law jurisdictions.

9.2 The Commission welcomes submissions from all areas of the community, in particular from people who have been involved in a funeral and burial dispute, older people, Koori people, people from culturally and linguistically diverse communities, religious groups, LGBTI people, the funeral sector, and anyone with specialist knowledge of
the law on funeral and burial instructions.

9.3 The Commission would like your views on the questions raised throughout this paper. A complete list of questions can be found on page 62. In addition, the Commission has created an online survey, which can be found at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/funerals. Information on how to provide the Commission with a submission is on page v. To allow the Commission time to consider your views before deciding on final recommendations, submissions are due by 21 December 2015.

9.4 The Commission will not review the law relating to tissue (including organ) donation, as it falls outside the scope of the Commission’s terms of reference, which specifically refer to a person’s instructions regarding their final disposal.

9.5 Any information you provide will assist the Commission to determine the extent to which the law should uphold a person’s wishes in relation to the method and place of the final disposal of their body, and any associated rituals.