Kiota. I'm Chelsea Daniels and This is the Front Page, a daily podcast presented by The New Zealand Herald, Tip and Air Funerals of television show The Caskatier's fame is under fire because one of its funeral directors allegedly swindled her grieving clients and put their dead relatives in plastic rubbish bags instead of the coffins they paid for. It was only revealed when bodies in a public mausoleum were disinterred and grieving families discovered what had happened. Funerals and the loss of a loved one is already an emotional time for families, and this case has highlighted not only the high level of trust involved, but also the growing cost of funerals. We'll discuss that aspect a little later, but first on the Front Page, we're joined by Enzad Herald journalist Raphael Franks, who started the investigation into this case.

Kiota. I'm Chelsea Daniels and This is the Front Page, a daily podcast presented by The New Zealand Herald, Tip and Air Funerals of television show The Caskatier's fame is under fire because one of its funeral directors allegedly swindled her grieving clients and put their dead relatives in plastic rubbish bags instead of the coffins they paid for. It was only revealed when bodies in a public mausoleum were disinterred and grieving families discovered what had happened. Funerals and the loss of a loved one is already an emotional time for families, and this case has highlighted not only the high level of trust involved, but also the growing cost of funerals. We'll discuss that aspect a little later, but first on the Front Page, we're joined by Enzad Herald journalist Raphael Franks, who started the investigation into this case.

Raphael, who is.

Raphael, who is.

The funeral director at the center of this scandal and what has she been accused of doing?

The funeral director at the center of this scandal and what has she been accused of doing?

Her name is Fiona Bekolitch. She's been accused of swindling her grieving clients by wrapping their dead relatives in plastic bags instead of the coffins that the families had paid for. And now more has come out since the investigation was published, As it turns out there are two other complainants. She's also accused of tricking a client into paying money for a post mortem COVID test. Now the Ministry of Health has said there's not a requirement that does not exist. She also allegedly took cash from a family that was supposedly for the burial, but Auckland Council followed up with the family for an unpaid bill. So it seems Becolitch has taken the money and gone. If you want a bit of an explainer as well, the real rub with this first allegation was that when a body is interred in amusoleum, the council requires that there be an in a casket inside the wooden casket, and they require that for health reasons, environmental reasons, they require a hermetically sealed casket made of zinc or some other metal like this. So that was the casket that was not present. So the families had paid for that. That was a three thousand dollar cost for that in a casket. So they first discovered it years after their relatives were actually buried. They discovered it after Cyclone Gabrielle when theusoleum was damaged, and of course when the bodies were disinterred, the families were all present and it was a really shocking discovery for them when they saw their relatives in those bags.

Her name is Fiona Bekolitch. She's been accused of swindling her grieving clients by wrapping their dead relatives in plastic bags instead of the coffins that the families had paid for. And now more has come out since the investigation was published, As it turns out there are two other complainants. She's also accused of tricking a client into paying money for a post mortem COVID test. Now the Ministry of Health has said there's not a requirement that does not exist. She also allegedly took cash from a family that was supposedly for the burial, but Auckland Council followed up with the family for an unpaid bill. So it seems Becolitch has taken the money and gone. If you want a bit of an explainer as well, the real rub with this first allegation was that when a body is interred in amusoleum, the council requires that there be an in a casket inside the wooden casket, and they require that for health reasons, environmental reasons, they require a hermetically sealed casket made of zinc or some other metal like this. So that was the casket that was not present. So the families had paid for that. That was a three thousand dollar cost for that in a casket. So they first discovered it years after their relatives were actually buried. They discovered it after Cyclone Gabrielle when theusoleum was damaged, and of course when the bodies were disinterred, the families were all present and it was a really shocking discovery for them when they saw their relatives in those bags.

Yeah, why has it taken so long for this to be made public?

Yeah, why has it taken so long for this to be made public?

Well, the affected families, they really believe that this has been swept under the rug. Now. They haven't come forward because they've told me that they feel a great sense of shame, a huge embarrass that this has happened to their family, their relatives. So they have been really reluctant to come out, but they've just felt, as I say, it's been swept under the rug for too long. They really wanted it out there and they want to warn people of you know, what Bacolitch is potentially up to.

Well, the affected families, they really believe that this has been swept under the rug. Now. They haven't come forward because they've told me that they feel a great sense of shame, a huge embarrass that this has happened to their family, their relatives. So they have been really reluctant to come out, but they've just felt, as I say, it's been swept under the rug for too long. They really wanted it out there and they want to warn people of you know, what Bacolitch is potentially up to.

How have Francis and Kayora Tipenaier responded to what's happened here?

How have Francis and Kayora Tipenaier responded to what's happened here?

So they've acknowledged Backolitcher's actions. They haven't detailed exactly what they know of what she's done, but they have acknowledged it and they've apologized to those people who've been affected. They're really quite distressed themselves, and they have offered some conversation to some.

So they've acknowledged Backolitcher's actions. They haven't detailed exactly what they know of what she's done, but they have acknowledged it and they've apologized to those people who've been affected. They're really quite distressed themselves, and they have offered some conversation to some.

Families and what if police had to say, are they going to be any consequences for Backolitcher's actions.

Families and what if police had to say, are they going to be any consequences for Backolitcher's actions.

Francis and Coyota did make a report to the police about Backlitch's alleged behavior, and we learned earlier this week that police had actually abandoned that investigation. Now I heard from Senior Sergeant Craig Bolton and he told me that police had abandoned the investigation as there was insufficient evidence to look into it. However, today it has passed on to the Auckland City Criminal Investigation Branch. Detective and Speaktor Glenn Baldwin is now on the case and they've reopened it due to the new claims that have come out.

Francis and Coyota did make a report to the police about Backlitch's alleged behavior, and we learned earlier this week that police had actually abandoned that investigation. Now I heard from Senior Sergeant Craig Bolton and he told me that police had abandoned the investigation as there was insufficient evidence to look into it. However, today it has passed on to the Auckland City Criminal Investigation Branch. Detective and Speaktor Glenn Baldwin is now on the case and they've reopened it due to the new claims that have come out.

Thanks for joining us, Raphael.

Thanks for joining us, Raphael.

Oh, thanks Chelsea, It's been my pleasure.

Oh, thanks Chelsea, It's been my pleasure.

This Herald investigation has come after numerous media reports into the rising cost of dying that is putting more of a financial burden on families. The Funeral Directors Association has released stats showing that burial and cremation costs to councils have risen fifty percent in the last year to discuss their findings and what's behind the rise. We're joined now by Chief Executive of the Funeral Directors' Association of New Zealand, Gillian Boys. Well, then, if you had to put a figure on it, how much does the average funeral cost and what exactly are people paying for?

This Herald investigation has come after numerous media reports into the rising cost of dying that is putting more of a financial burden on families. The Funeral Directors Association has released stats showing that burial and cremation costs to councils have risen fifty percent in the last year to discuss their findings and what's behind the rise. We're joined now by Chief Executive of the Funeral Directors' Association of New Zealand, Gillian Boys. Well, then, if you had to put a figure on it, how much does the average funeral cost and what exactly are people paying for?

Here we are always a little bit reluctant to talk about averages because it does vary so much depending on what you want and what part of the country you're in. But you know, in terms of a range, it could be anything from a few thousand to fifteen thousand dollars or even more so, as it can really vary quite hugely. And the reason it varies so much and in terms of what you're getting for it. If you want to have a burial, the burial costs are significantly more than chremation costs. If you want to have a lot of people come along, you're obviously providing them with some catering and you need a venue for that, and you probably want to do something like a slideshow, and you want to do a whole lot more thing. So all of those things ed up, and it also takes more of the funeral director's time so the funeral director's fee will go up as well. But look, if you want to just do something really simple and have a cremation, just go and view your loved one and say a few special words, then that's significantly less. So yeah, everything huge range there, and we can do something to fit whatever your family's needs are to make it meaningful.

Here we are always a little bit reluctant to talk about averages because it does vary so much depending on what you want and what part of the country you're in. But you know, in terms of a range, it could be anything from a few thousand to fifteen thousand dollars or even more so, as it can really vary quite hugely. And the reason it varies so much and in terms of what you're getting for it. If you want to have a burial, the burial costs are significantly more than chremation costs. If you want to have a lot of people come along, you're obviously providing them with some catering and you need a venue for that, and you probably want to do something like a slideshow, and you want to do a whole lot more thing. So all of those things ed up, and it also takes more of the funeral director's time so the funeral director's fee will go up as well. But look, if you want to just do something really simple and have a cremation, just go and view your loved one and say a few special words, then that's significantly less. So yeah, everything huge range there, and we can do something to fit whatever your family's needs are to make it meaningful.

Looking at some stats provided by your organization, there seems to be a massive disparity across the country, not only in the cost of the funeral but in price rises. Firstly, why do costs in general vary so much, say over seventy two hundred dollars for a burial in New Plymouth, but only around twelve hundred in.

Looking at some stats provided by your organization, there seems to be a massive disparity across the country, not only in the cost of the funeral but in price rises. Firstly, why do costs in general vary so much, say over seventy two hundred dollars for a burial in New Plymouth, but only around twelve hundred in.

Topor Yeah, so those costs are controlled by council, and you'd need to really ask the local council why they charge what they do. But I guess we'd imagine that land costs vary in different councils, and the cost of servicing the burial grounds alter as well. So in some of the areas where there have been really quite significant jumps and cost we've been told there's been a changing contractor. But yeah, if those are costs, say that are controlled by the council. When you work with a funeral director, they will typically include those costs in the one bill, so that you're not talking out money here, there and everywhere. Often people think that the funeral costs that much money, but actually that bit, which is your burial or cremation cost, is a separate cost.

Topor Yeah, so those costs are controlled by council, and you'd need to really ask the local council why they charge what they do. But I guess we'd imagine that land costs vary in different councils, and the cost of servicing the burial grounds alter as well. So in some of the areas where there have been really quite significant jumps and cost we've been told there's been a changing contractor. But yeah, if those are costs, say that are controlled by the council. When you work with a funeral director, they will typically include those costs in the one bill, so that you're not talking out money here, there and everywhere. Often people think that the funeral costs that much money, but actually that bit, which is your burial or cremation cost, is a separate cost.

What have been some of the contributing factors around costs increasing over the last year. I know you mentioned there's some council contracting and.

What have been some of the contributing factors around costs increasing over the last year. I know you mentioned there's some council contracting and.

Such in terms of the costs that the funeral director incurs. Obviously, you know, we're in a bit of a cost of living crisis at the moment, so the salary costs for the staff at the funeral home have probably gone up. The materials costs will have gone up, so everything from the cost to manufacture caskets going up to chemicals and supplies. The catering costs have probably gone up because they're running businesses as well, and their food costs have gone up. So yeah, look at it. It is across the board. It's no one thing that you can put your finger on. But yet we tend to highlight the council bit of that each year just so that people know that that one is a core contributor because it is such a big part of the total cost of a funeral.

Such in terms of the costs that the funeral director incurs. Obviously, you know, we're in a bit of a cost of living crisis at the moment, so the salary costs for the staff at the funeral home have probably gone up. The materials costs will have gone up, so everything from the cost to manufacture caskets going up to chemicals and supplies. The catering costs have probably gone up because they're running businesses as well, and their food costs have gone up. So yeah, look at it. It is across the board. It's no one thing that you can put your finger on. But yet we tend to highlight the council bit of that each year just so that people know that that one is a core contributor because it is such a big part of the total cost of a funeral.

Julia Marie Maggs died suddenly in hospital after spending years struggling with physical and mental health issues. Husband Dave, who lost his job earlier this year, was desperate to give her the funeral. She wanted the Steinson family from Auckland's north shore set up to give a little page to raise money, aiming for fifteen thousand dollars to cover the funeral expenses depending on the plot. Debbie told The Herald they were looking at between eighteen thousand and twenty thousand for a burial and funeral. Julia would need a custom coffin a larger size with more handles for poor bearers. We don't know how much we've got to work with, Debbie told the Herald, which is making it really hard. She'd tried to withdraw some of the money in her Kiwi saver. They had to embalm jewels and postpone the funeral, she explained, until they knew how much money they had to work with.

Julia Marie Maggs died suddenly in hospital after spending years struggling with physical and mental health issues. Husband Dave, who lost his job earlier this year, was desperate to give her the funeral. She wanted the Steinson family from Auckland's north shore set up to give a little page to raise money, aiming for fifteen thousand dollars to cover the funeral expenses depending on the plot. Debbie told The Herald they were looking at between eighteen thousand and twenty thousand for a burial and funeral. Julia would need a custom coffin a larger size with more handles for poor bearers. We don't know how much we've got to work with, Debbie told the Herald, which is making it really hard. She'd tried to withdraw some of the money in her Kiwi saver. They had to embalm jewels and postpone the funeral, she explained, until they knew how much money they had to work with.

I guess in the industry of dying, if we can call it that, Do you think there are some players in the industry who actually prey upon people and try and upsell. I'm thinking of a time when Maya Nana died last year and she was to be cremated, and my poppa was upsold a coffin. I think it ended up costing the coffin alone five thousand dollars. What do you think of those kind of practices?

I guess in the industry of dying, if we can call it that, Do you think there are some players in the industry who actually prey upon people and try and upsell. I'm thinking of a time when Maya Nana died last year and she was to be cremated, and my poppa was upsold a coffin. I think it ended up costing the coffin alone five thousand dollars. What do you think of those kind of practices?

So what we say to our member firms is that you need to spell out the cost to the family. So we have standards that people who join our organization must meet. In one of those standards is providing a detailed written cost estimate in advance of the funeral. So one of the really good reasons for doing that is once you've got the estimate in front of people, you can go through line by line and work with a family and say, look, the coffin that you chose, for instance, in your example is five thousand dollars, but we do have some other options available. If that means that's contributing to a cost overall that you can't afford, so do you want to talk about some other options? And you can do that across all of those areas. You know, there can be reasons why people want to spend more on particular elements. The coffin or casket as we call it, as you know, your final gift to the family. And I know that sounds a bit marketing, but you know, actually having something that represents who they are it can be really important to a family. You know, if it's been a builder who's always worked with wood, they might want a solid water casket, and those are typically more expensive. But what we try and encourage our members to do is to make sure that people are paying more for things when it's meaningful to them and as important as part of their grieving, rather than treating it like a sales job. And you know, you ask getting my members and they hate that sales word because they don't see themselves as salespeople. They really see themselves as being there to support the family, to have a ceremony that's meaningful for them.

So what we say to our member firms is that you need to spell out the cost to the family. So we have standards that people who join our organization must meet. In one of those standards is providing a detailed written cost estimate in advance of the funeral. So one of the really good reasons for doing that is once you've got the estimate in front of people, you can go through line by line and work with a family and say, look, the coffin that you chose, for instance, in your example is five thousand dollars, but we do have some other options available. If that means that's contributing to a cost overall that you can't afford, so do you want to talk about some other options? And you can do that across all of those areas. You know, there can be reasons why people want to spend more on particular elements. The coffin or casket as we call it, as you know, your final gift to the family. And I know that sounds a bit marketing, but you know, actually having something that represents who they are it can be really important to a family. You know, if it's been a builder who's always worked with wood, they might want a solid water casket, and those are typically more expensive. But what we try and encourage our members to do is to make sure that people are paying more for things when it's meaningful to them and as important as part of their grieving, rather than treating it like a sales job. And you know, you ask getting my members and they hate that sales word because they don't see themselves as salespeople. They really see themselves as being there to support the family, to have a ceremony that's meaningful for them.

Do you think people in the industry do try and upsell? Are those people in the industry as well?

Do you think people in the industry do try and upsell? Are those people in the industry as well?

Well? Look at the end of the day, you know, if you get some more things in, it's better for your business. So you can understand why that temptation is there. But I'd be really disappointed if I heard any of our members we're doing it for that reason. As I say, I think a lot of the time they are genuinely meeting the needs of their families when they're recommending something that costs more because the family has said I want, you know, more people there, or or I want you know, better catering, or I really want these particular flowers and they cost more. So as long as our members are saying to people, you do understand that that means the total cost is this, then I think it's not upselling, it's helping the family have something that means something to them.

Well? Look at the end of the day, you know, if you get some more things in, it's better for your business. So you can understand why that temptation is there. But I'd be really disappointed if I heard any of our members we're doing it for that reason. As I say, I think a lot of the time they are genuinely meeting the needs of their families when they're recommending something that costs more because the family has said I want, you know, more people there, or or I want you know, better catering, or I really want these particular flowers and they cost more. So as long as our members are saying to people, you do understand that that means the total cost is this, then I think it's not upselling, it's helping the family have something that means something to them.

Would you recommend people look at funeral insurance as an example, and is there any kind of ideal age to start investing or saving for your funeral? I guess it's something that we probably don't want to be thinking about.

Would you recommend people look at funeral insurance as an example, and is there any kind of ideal age to start investing or saving for your funeral? I guess it's something that we probably don't want to be thinking about.

Yeah. So look, my life job before here was working for the Financial Markets Authority, which is the financial markets regulator, and just before I left, we did a review of funeral insurance and found that that could be a pretty poor value product because often people end up putting in more than they end up using, or if you stop paying your premiums, you know, your cover disappears. So I'm not a massive fan of funeral insurance and know the insurance companies have tied it up there act, but it's not something that I'm a fan of. We offer a prepaid funeral trust. So how that works is you put your money in and then it's used for your funeral and if there's anything left over, it goes back to your family. And that sort of works sort of similar to insurance in terms of you can put a lump summon or you can pay a bit in at a time. So something like that where you know you're not going to risk losing the money, I think is a better deal for people in terms of what age. One of my other roles that uf ME was encouraging people to get into key Wesavor, and that was a hard enough conversation. So I probably wouldn't try selling funeral trusts or prepaid funeral plans to any young people because most people are not thinking about this. But it is very common for people who are going into respigitual care to make the decision at that point. It can be a really useful thing to set the money aside if you've got conflict within the family, because then it's locked away in a trust and you know your family can't touch it, and you know that you'll need to taken care of. So probably it's at those big life events as you get older that most people would think about paying for their funeral in advance.

Yeah. So look, my life job before here was working for the Financial Markets Authority, which is the financial markets regulator, and just before I left, we did a review of funeral insurance and found that that could be a pretty poor value product because often people end up putting in more than they end up using, or if you stop paying your premiums, you know, your cover disappears. So I'm not a massive fan of funeral insurance and know the insurance companies have tied it up there act, but it's not something that I'm a fan of. We offer a prepaid funeral trust. So how that works is you put your money in and then it's used for your funeral and if there's anything left over, it goes back to your family. And that sort of works sort of similar to insurance in terms of you can put a lump summon or you can pay a bit in at a time. So something like that where you know you're not going to risk losing the money, I think is a better deal for people in terms of what age. One of my other roles that uf ME was encouraging people to get into key Wesavor, and that was a hard enough conversation. So I probably wouldn't try selling funeral trusts or prepaid funeral plans to any young people because most people are not thinking about this. But it is very common for people who are going into respigitual care to make the decision at that point. It can be a really useful thing to set the money aside if you've got conflict within the family, because then it's locked away in a trust and you know your family can't touch it, and you know that you'll need to taken care of. So probably it's at those big life events as you get older that most people would think about paying for their funeral in advance.

Is there anything that could be done to bring these costs down? Do you think the approval of alternative methods save burial such as water cremation could help reduce those costs?

Is there anything that could be done to bring these costs down? Do you think the approval of alternative methods save burial such as water cremation could help reduce those costs?

So what a cremation is an interesting one, and that at the moment in the buriers and cremations at it's only burial in the ground and cremation by fire that's approved. So we're waiting to see from the Ministry of how they decide to treat water cremation. And probably the key driver for introducing that is to provide more choice for families and to provide something that might be more environmentally sustainable rather than cost because with water cremation, like a traditional cremation, you've still got sex cost to put the deceased into the machine and have the machine running and so on. So I'm not sure that it would necessarily be cheaper, but it is definitely an alternative in might be something that people prefer.

So what a cremation is an interesting one, and that at the moment in the buriers and cremations at it's only burial in the ground and cremation by fire that's approved. So we're waiting to see from the Ministry of how they decide to treat water cremation. And probably the key driver for introducing that is to provide more choice for families and to provide something that might be more environmentally sustainable rather than cost because with water cremation, like a traditional cremation, you've still got sex cost to put the deceased into the machine and have the machine running and so on. So I'm not sure that it would necessarily be cheaper, but it is definitely an alternative in might be something that people prefer.

It is quite simply a process whereby a human body is placed into a machine, really a finally engineered piece of equipment, which is filled in with water with a little alkalie within it. It's heated and placed under pressure and or for hours plus the human body is reduced to its skeletal remains. The bones are then reduced to a form of powder, and the relatives gat back those remains.

It is quite simply a process whereby a human body is placed into a machine, really a finally engineered piece of equipment, which is filled in with water with a little alkalie within it. It's heated and placed under pressure and or for hours plus the human body is reduced to its skeletal remains. The bones are then reduced to a form of powder, and the relatives gat back those remains.

In terms of generally how do you get costs down? I guess something to think about is that funeral practice is a private practice. So in healthcare, obviously there is public health care, but in death care, there's no public desk care if you like. So it is private businesses running funerals, and so to a degree there's always going to be costs that are very hard to get down to an absolute bottom line because the businesses have to operate and pay their staff and make a living. So the best thing for people to do, as to say, is to really just work with the funeral director and say, look, this is my budget or these are my constraints financially that I have, and what can you do to help me work within that? And you know, most funeral directors will be really open to that conversation and will work really hard to make sure that there's something that's really be sure that you can do to remember a loved one without having to go on to debt.

In terms of generally how do you get costs down? I guess something to think about is that funeral practice is a private practice. So in healthcare, obviously there is public health care, but in death care, there's no public desk care if you like. So it is private businesses running funerals, and so to a degree there's always going to be costs that are very hard to get down to an absolute bottom line because the businesses have to operate and pay their staff and make a living. So the best thing for people to do, as to say, is to really just work with the funeral director and say, look, this is my budget or these are my constraints financially that I have, and what can you do to help me work within that? And you know, most funeral directors will be really open to that conversation and will work really hard to make sure that there's something that's really be sure that you can do to remember a loved one without having to go on to debt.

And I suppose that will change from family to family as well. Hey, I've already told my parents the last remaining one will be sent down a raft down a river if I could. But it does change, right, There are people that like that sentimentality of a funeral.

And I suppose that will change from family to family as well. Hey, I've already told my parents the last remaining one will be sent down a raft down a river if I could. But it does change, right, There are people that like that sentimentality of a funeral.

Hey, yeah, And look, I think what the trend is in funerals now is for people to personalize it much more so. You know, the traditional going to the church and having the long eulogies and so on, you know, is much less common. And you know, we have members running funerals on the beach and parks. I've been to a few in my local theater group. You know, risas are really popular pubs, all sorts of different places. It's what's special to that person and to that person's family. And I suppose that's a point to mate, really, is that a funeral isn't for the person who died. And I think sometimes we get caught up with trying to respect people's wishes, but forgetting that we've got needs ourselves and we saw this in COVID when people couldn't have a funeral. And you talk to many people now who's loved one died during that time, and they'll say, look, I didn't get a chance to say goodbye. I didn't get a chance to see all the pictures and hear all the stories and get together with the family and huglem and mourn their persons. So it is about the people who are left behind, not the people who have died. So it's about thinking what's right for the people left behind. And you know sending your last parent down in the raft works for you, then that's right for you. But if that was their wish, think about you know what you need is I guess what our advice is, how.

Hey, yeah, And look, I think what the trend is in funerals now is for people to personalize it much more so. You know, the traditional going to the church and having the long eulogies and so on, you know, is much less common. And you know, we have members running funerals on the beach and parks. I've been to a few in my local theater group. You know, risas are really popular pubs, all sorts of different places. It's what's special to that person and to that person's family. And I suppose that's a point to mate, really, is that a funeral isn't for the person who died. And I think sometimes we get caught up with trying to respect people's wishes, but forgetting that we've got needs ourselves and we saw this in COVID when people couldn't have a funeral. And you talk to many people now who's loved one died during that time, and they'll say, look, I didn't get a chance to say goodbye. I didn't get a chance to see all the pictures and hear all the stories and get together with the family and huglem and mourn their persons. So it is about the people who are left behind, not the people who have died. So it's about thinking what's right for the people left behind. And you know sending your last parent down in the raft works for you, then that's right for you. But if that was their wish, think about you know what you need is I guess what our advice is, how.

Do you feel being in your industry and reading something or hearing stories of loved ones being put in plastic rubbish bags instead of the coffins they paid for.

Do you feel being in your industry and reading something or hearing stories of loved ones being put in plastic rubbish bags instead of the coffins they paid for.

From an industry perfective, We ever, really committed to ensuring that all funeral directors handle the deceased with utmost respects. So when I heard that story, I was really disappointed to hear it, and I can only imagine the distress for the family. We work really hard as an industry. It's a yucky topic desk, isn't it for most people? And there's lots of unpleasant aspects to the work that our members do. And the only way that we can continue to get the respect from our families is to do it at the utmost level of professionalism and make sure that we really are treating the family left behind but also the deceased body with respects. So off the back of that story, we've done reminders to our members around how you handle the technical requirements around a more solium burial. They're different to a normal burial, and so that's the sort of value that an association can provide to it members, but also the sort of value that working with a member whom brings to New Zealanders and you know the funeral home concern. We're not members of our association unfortunately, so perhaps they just didn't know what the technical requirements were.

From an industry perfective, We ever, really committed to ensuring that all funeral directors handle the deceased with utmost respects. So when I heard that story, I was really disappointed to hear it, and I can only imagine the distress for the family. We work really hard as an industry. It's a yucky topic desk, isn't it for most people? And there's lots of unpleasant aspects to the work that our members do. And the only way that we can continue to get the respect from our families is to do it at the utmost level of professionalism and make sure that we really are treating the family left behind but also the deceased body with respects. So off the back of that story, we've done reminders to our members around how you handle the technical requirements around a more solium burial. They're different to a normal burial, and so that's the sort of value that an association can provide to it members, but also the sort of value that working with a member whom brings to New Zealanders and you know the funeral home concern. We're not members of our association unfortunately, so perhaps they just didn't know what the technical requirements were.

Thanks for joining us, Jillian. That's it for this episode of the Front Page. You can read more about today's stories and extensive news coverage at enzidhrald dot co dot enz The Front Page is produced by Ethan Sills and sound engineer Patti Fox. I'm Chelsea Daniels. Subscribe to the front page on iHeartRadio or wherever you get your podcasts, and tune in on Monday for another look behind the headlines.

Thanks for joining us, Jillian. That's it for this episode of the Front Page. You can read more about today's stories and extensive news coverage at enzidhrald dot co dot enz The Front Page is produced by Ethan Sills and sound engineer Patti Fox. I'm Chelsea Daniels. Subscribe to the front page on iHeartRadio or wherever you get your podcasts, and tune in on Monday for another look behind the headlines.