Funeral pricing under examination

Financial protection for Queenslanders organising a funeral is being addressed through an options paper now under development. Attorney General and Minister for Justice Shannon Fentiman said the option paper will look closely at price transparency in the funeral industry.

“Organising a funeral is an extremely emotional process, sometimes with added time pressures if the death of a loved one was unexpected,” the minister said.

“A person’s decision-making ability is often considerably impacted by their vulnerable state, time constraints and cultural expectations.”

“Funeral homes can offer a bundle of goods and services without clearly stating which of these are required and which are optional. The absence of easily accessible pricing information can make it difficult for consumers to make the best choice for their needs.”

Potential approaches to help address these issues are to be outlined in the paper.

Fair Trading Commissioner Victoria Thomson said upfront price transparency would provide consumers with the pricing information they need to compare like-with-like.

“The ability for people to access and compare costs will make it easier for grieving families to consider their options,” Ms Thomson said.

“I urge people from all parts of the industry—from funeral providers to consumers and advocacy groups—to read the options paper and have their say on the way forward.”

The consultation will close on 7 October 2021.For more information and to access the options paper, visit the website: qld.gov.au/law/laws-regulated-industries-and-accountability/queensland-laws-and-regulations/fair-trading-services-programs-and-resources/consultation-regulatory-reform/funeral-price-transparency-consultation