Reform at Rookwood
An investigation of the running of Sydney’s Rookwood Cemetery has shown that Jews, Muslims and Chinese communities have paid abnormally high prices for their burials.
The enquiry has resulted in the resignation of the Chair of the Rookwood General Cemeteries Reserve Trust Board, Robert Wilson and the report by Cemeteries and Crematoria NSW is now in the Baird Government’s hands.
CEO of The New South Wales Jewish Board of Deputies Vic Alhadeff too J-Wire: “We will continue to support the government’s efforts to improve operations and the delivery of services at Rookwood. As we have not yet seen the outcome of the government inquiry, we cannot comment further at this stage.”
The investigation followed complaints by the Jewish and Muslim communities and was initiated by Minister for Primary Industries and Minister for Lands and Water Niall Blair. In his statement Minister Blair said that two other members of the Board had resigned leaving only two on the board saying that the current board can now “no longer be legally constituted.”
The Sydney Morning Herald reports: “For instance, the price of a double funeral space for a Jewish burial rose to $17,050 last September but was reduced following outcry to $13,500 on the November price list.”
