Protect the Right to Memorialise: Reform Cemetery Rules in NSW
Petitioner:
Miss CHLOE KESSELL
| Member:
Davies, Tanya
| No. of Signatories:
2,248
| Date closed:
02/06/2025
To the Speaker and Members of the Legislative Assembly,
We, the undersigned petitioners, are advocating for a review of cemetery regulations across New South Wales to better support grieving families. Cemeteries should be places of peace and reflection, allowing families to honour their loved ones in meaningful ways. However, many cemeteries, including Pinegrove Memorial Park, enforce restrictive policies—such as “fresh flowers only” rules—that place unnecessary financial and emotional burdens on grieving families.
At Pinegrove, personal garden ornaments and artificial flowers lovingly placed by families are routinely removed and discarded, leaving graves bare and impersonal. While these actions are often justified under the guise of maintenance and safety, they make families feel unwelcome and deny them the ability to create a unique, comforting space for remembrance.
The “fresh flowers only” policy is particularly difficult, as it becomes costly for families to maintain, often resulting in graves left without any tribute at all. Artificial flowers and garden ornaments provide a lasting and affordable way for families to pay their respects without the financial strain of continuously replacing fresh flowers.
Grieving families deserve better.
We ask the Legislative Assembly to call on the Government to consider legislation protecting families' rights to memorialise their loved ones with personal touches, such as garden ornaments, and artificial flowers. A statewide review of cemetery policies is necessary to ensure families are treated with the respect and compassion they deserve during such a difficult time.
