Dying just got more expensive

A 32 per cent hike in the cost of a cremation in Whangarei will hit those who can least afford it, a vicar says.
Auckland-based Maunu Crematorium, which is owned by the same people  who own Whangarei's Morris & Morris Funerals, has been given the contract to run the crematorium by Whangarei District Council.
As a result the cost of a cremation will rise from $450 to $595 - a 32.2 per cent increase.
But Maunu Crematorium director Craig Little said the price rise would help pay for the capital investment the company  had to put into the "very run down" facility.
"We've taken the average across the country and come up with that cremation fee. It's not as high as in some other areas," Mr Little said.
About 78 per cent of the people who die in Whangarei are cremated.  
He said it cost up to $6000 for a burial. 
But Whangarei Anglican vicar the Rev Michael Godfrey said the price rise would hit those who could least afford it.
Dr Godfrey said dying was an expensive business and funeral costs were always an issue.
"If people are at the tight end of the market it's going to hit them hard. But there appears not a lot people can do about that, we live in a business-driven world.
 
"It does, though, underscore the need for people to plan well for their funeral, because it can be expensive."
Mr Little said the company would spend $500,000   putting in a state-of-the art cremator and would also upgrade the crematorium facilities to bring them up to standard, including installing disabled toilets.
Mr Little said all funeral homes  would pay the same fee for cremations and if the council had decided not to continue the service the nearest crematoriums were in Kerikeri and Auckland.
He said it was not in the company's best interest to freeze any funeral homes out of the crematorium and said the situation was a "win-win" for all.
The new cremator would be able to  handle almost double the 450 to 500 cremations carried out in Whangarei every year. 
Council infrastructure services manager Simon Weston said that, as landlord, the council had a management contract in place with a series of performance standards that must be adhered to.