Government Told: “If You're Serious About Tackling Poverty, Deal With Funeral Debt Now.” 

120 cardboard coffins are being delivered to Parliament this Thursday in a call for the Government to stop delaying action on funeral debt. The coffins are a reminder that every single day New Zealanders are thrown into poverty because government paperwork requirements leave them open to commercial exploitation. 

Spokesman for Death Without Debt, Fergus Wheeler, says the government's dysfunctional death paperwork system is the main driver behind funeral debt and solving this would take just one Government directive. 

“This Government promised to tackle poverty. We've given “the normal channels” a good two years. It's time the Minister of Health stops referring us to the bureaucrats, meets with us and then starts making things happen. 

“Doctors currently refer patient's families to the funeral industry to get pre-disposal paperwork done. This breaks nine Health and Disability Code patient rights. Doctors or nurses can remedy this appalling oversight simply by doing the paperwork for the family themselves. 

“We know this works because we've had doctors trial it. It only takes a couple of minutes. It's just proper duty of care. Doctors are professionals, death is routine. Why the run-around in addressing this? 

"This one step by the medical profession can take thousands of dollars off a funeral bill and more importantly will help prevent the public being drawn into paying for services they don't need or can do themselves. 

“We want proper duty of care put in place immediately. It doesn't require a law change. The Government's Review of Burial and Cremation is still months, if not years, away from completion. The handover ceremony will be silent. The coffins contain briefing papers for Ministers and M.P.s. The biggest coffin is being reserved for the Prime Minister in her capacity as Minister for Child Poverty Reduction. 

“This is a chance for her to walk the talk. The average cost of a funeral is $10 000 – far more than many households can afford.” 

Death Without Debt has also set out for the Government a further eight steps they need to take reduce or eliminate funeral-driven poverty. The campaign is supported by the Salvation Army and Community Law. 

The coffins will be handed over to party representatives at 1pm, Thursday 22nd September, at Parliament steps. 

About Death Without Debt Death 

Without Debt is a working group of New Zealanders from social work, poverty and medical professions. Founded in 2020, we exist to fix New Zealand's dysfunctional funeral laws and processes.

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