2017-10-11
ACT Greens Planning spokesperson and Member for Murrumbidgee Caroline Le Couteur today reaffirmed longstanding calls for a new cemetery in Canberra’s south.
This echoes ongoing calls from the Woden Valley Community Council and other community stakeholders for a clear commitment from Government to address space limitations, particularly given Canberra’s expected population growth.
The ACT government began consultation on its planned new cemetery in 2009, with a further expansion to existing facilities taking place in 2015.
Since then, Canberra’s population is tipped to grow by up to 6,000 people over the next four years.
“As our population ages, this issue will only become more pressing,” Ms Le Couteur argued. “There will come a point of no return, and the Government has had ample opportunity to deliver.
A proposed site at Mugga Lane (the Southern Memorial Park) has been flagged over a number of years as a possible site.
“The current cemetery is in the heart of Woden—why not replace this with recreational space for the living to enjoy, and instead consider more appropriate sites, like the previously proposed Southern Memorial Park?” Ms Le Couteur said.
A former member of the ACT Public Cemeteries Authority, Ms Le Couteur is also a longstanding advocate for natural burials.
Natural burials uses biodegradable and non-toxic materials, and are far less environmentally damaging than other burial options, such as cremation.
“A new cemetery also provides the Government with another clear opportunity to progress natural burials—ensuring that Canberrans have real choices when it comes to end-of-life options that are sustainable, and in step with the deceased’s values,” Ms Le Couteur added.