2 July 2012 Grant Expiration. Important Information.
Due to the recent circulation of misinformation within the public arena, the Metropolitan Cemeteries Board is receiving a high volume of calls regarding 2012 Grant expirations and despite redirecting our resources to respond to you as soon as possible, there may be a delay. The quickest way to get a response is to email us or wait for our staff to work through the messages that have been left on our answering service. We will return your call.
Many of the calls we are processing ARE NOT affected by the 2012 Grant expirations. This additional volume of enquires is making it difficult for us to respond to those who are affected.
If you do not wish to read the detailed information regarding 2012 Grant expirations that can be found here, we would request that you review the following pertinent points.
Key facts:
- Only plots that were purchased PRIOR to 1987 are affected by the Grant expirations that are due to expire on 2 July 2012. Plots purchased AFTER 1987 are not affected.
- Regardless of purchase date, NO plots at Pinnaroo Valley are affected.
- Across the metropolitan area a number of plots at Karrakatta, Fremantle, Midland and Guildford cemeteries are affected, however the vast majority of these have already served a significant proportion of their tenure. As stipulated within the Cemeteries Act 1986, these will all, collectively, expire on 2 July 2012.
- Tens of thousands of plots expire each and every year of their own accord. Whilst some families wish to purchase additional tenure for peace of mind, you actually only need a Grant if you intend to place additional interments in the plot. Most families do not renew an expired Grant unless they want to re-use the plot as there is no practical reason to do so.
- Statements made within the public arena that remains will be disturbed and bodies will be dug-up are after 2 July 2012 are incorrect, completely misleading and have caused undue distress to families across the State.
- Statements made within the public arena that families have a timed deadline to secure additional tenure are also incorrect. If you wish to secure additional tenure this can be done either before or after 2 July 2012. It can be done a week, five years down the track or if your family wishes to utilise the plot for additional interments, at the time of need as part of the overall funeral arrangements. There is NO NEED to panic. If you want to renew, in all likelihood, the option will remain open for you to do so.
- Contacting families regarding the 2012 expirations has been particularly difficult. At the very least the contact details within our databases are over 25 years old with many registered contact addresses being 30-50 years of age. In practical terms, many of the registered contacts have now actually been interred within the plot itself. The vast majority of mail that we send comes back to us marked as ‘return to sender’, ‘deceased’ or ‘address unknown’. Sending correspondence to the deceased can also cause significant unnecessary stress to surviving family members.
- An information brochure and email service regarding the 2012 expirations were introduced in 2011. Whilst many of the individuals we need to speak with are elderly, many of this demographic rely upon their children to bridge the technology gap with approximately 80% of Australian households now having access to the internet. We have been receiving a steady stream of enquiries for over eight months. The vast majority of families are opting not to renew.
- The 2 July 2012 expiration date, with the digitisation of records, has been shown in all online search records from 2007. From the date the new Act came into effect (1987), all over the counter enquiries have been informed of the 2012 expiration as have those individuals who have made telephone enquiries.
- Funeral Directors, a key partner and communication link between the cemeteries and the community, have been kept abreast of the change and have provided a valuable link in informing those affected.
- Beyond the metropolitan area, the changes to the legislation by the Cemeteries Act 1986, apply to all cemeteries in Western Australia. Enquiries regarding Bunbury, Albany, Geraldton and Kalgoorlie Boulder should be made to the managing cemetery authorities within these municipalities. The remainder of regional cemeteries are generally administered by local councils.
If you think you are affected by the 2012 expirations you can search here. A detailed brochure regarding the expirations can be found here. Due to the high volume of calls we would recommend that you email us at mcb@mcb.wa.gov.au