Strategic Statement on Cemeteries and Crematoria in NSW

Delivering strong consumer outcomes for Cemeteries and Crematoria in NSW

The NSW Government has released Delivering strong consumer outcomes for Cemeteries and Crematoria in NSW (the strategic statement). The new strategic statement will guide the transformation of the state’s cemeteries and crematoria sector with the goal of ensuring that all people in NSW have access to sustainable and affordable burial and cremation services.

This statement has been developed to inform industry and the community about key sector trends and issues, and how the Government will focus its resources to strengthen the sector and maximise consumer protections.

The statement outlines three priority action areas. They are:

1. Delivering strong consumer protection for customers and communities.

2. Supporting sustainable practices to promote new supply.

3. Providing certainty for our Crown operators.

The NSW Government regulator, Cemeteries & Crematoria NSW, will report annually on progress against the actions in the strategic statement on this website.

The actions will also be reviewed periodically. Stakeholders will have an opportunity to give feedback to ensure the Government realises its visions and aims for the State's cemeteries and crematoria sector.

Cemeteries & Crematoria NSW's activities will be funded by an expansion of the interment services levy. For more information and resources, go to the Interment Services Levy.

Strategic Statement

Delivering strong consumer outcomes for Cemeteries and Crematoria in NSW (PDF, 1.4 MB)

CCNSW Progress report on Strategic Statement – 2025

1. Delivering strong consumer protection
2. Supporting sustainable practices
3. Providing certainty for our Crown operators

Commitments	Status	Progress
Regulate cemeteries and crematoria effectively	Substantially underway	Licensing of cemetery and crematoria operators is substantially complete. 99.4% of interments in NSW are now undertaken by operators who are licensed. New customers standards are now fully commenced. These protect consumers by requiring plain language contracts, plans for cemetery maintenance, transparent prices, good customer service, and respect for religious and cultural requirements.
Modernise and streamline the Cemeteries and Crematoria Act 2013.	Substantially underway	In October 2024 CCNSW consulted on proposed amendments to the Cemeteries and Crematoria Act 2013. The Government is considering the results of that consultation ahead of legislative reform.
Develop a contemporary approach for the perpetual maintenance of cemeteries.	Early stages	CCNSW has commenced development of a Perpetual Maintenance Framework. Stage one is gathering input into what type of use/ongoing maintence communities want to see at cemeteries when they are no longer burying people.
Continually monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the Interment Industry Scheme.	Early stages	CCNSW has commenced monitoring operator's compliance with the new customer service standards contained in the Interment Industry Scheme, including through site visits and audits. The new customer service standards only fully commenced on 1 October 2024 and monitoring and evaluation will be expanded over time.
Do more research to better understand customer needs and journeys, and emerging market trends.	Early stages	CCNSW is currently undertaking customer and community research to inform the Perpetual Maintenance Framework. Additional research will be undertaken to inform CCNSW's work future years.
Maximise the value of cemeteries as public spaces, in line with community needs and expectations.	Early stages	Research to understand operator and community views on this topic commenced in May 2025 as part of developing the Perpetual Maintenance Framework.

Full details for entry Regulate cemeteries and crematoria effectively
Commitments	Regulate cemeteries and crematoria effectively
Status	Substantially underway
Progress	Licensing of cemetery and crematoria operators is substantially complete. 99.4% of interments in NSW are now undertaken by operators who are licensed. New customers standards are now fully commenced. These protect consumers by requiring plain language contracts, plans for cemetery maintenance, transparent prices, good customer service, and respect for religious and cultural requirements.

Full details for entry Modernise and streamline the Cemeteries and Crematoria Act 2013.
Commitments	Modernise and streamline the Cemeteries and Crematoria Act 2013.
Status	Substantially underway
Progress	In October 2024 CCNSW consulted on proposed amendments to the Cemeteries and Crematoria Act 2013. The Government is considering the results of that consultation ahead of legislative reform.

Full details for entry Develop a contemporary approach for the perpetual maintenance of cemeteries.
Commitments	Develop a contemporary approach for the perpetual maintenance of cemeteries.
Status	Early stages
Progress	CCNSW has commenced development of a Perpetual Maintenance Framework. Stage one is gathering input into what type of use/ongoing maintence communities want to see at cemeteries when they are no longer burying people.

Full details for entry Continually monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the Interment Industry Scheme.
Commitments	Continually monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the Interment Industry Scheme.
Status	Early stages
Progress	CCNSW has commenced monitoring operator's compliance with the new customer service standards contained in the Interment Industry Scheme, including through site visits and audits. The new customer service standards only fully commenced on 1 October 2024 and monitoring and evaluation will be expanded over time.

Full details for entry Do more research to better understand customer needs and journeys, and emerging market trends.
Commitments	Do more research to better understand customer needs and journeys, and emerging market trends.
Status	Early stages
Progress	CCNSW is currently undertaking customer and community research to inform the Perpetual Maintenance Framework. Additional research will be undertaken to inform CCNSW's work future years.

Full details for entry Maximise the value of cemeteries as public spaces, in line with community needs and expectations.
Commitments	Maximise the value of cemeteries as public spaces, in line with community needs and expectations.
Status	Early stages
Progress	Research to understand operator and community views on this topic commenced in May 2025 as part of developing the Perpetual Maintenance Framework.

Commitments	Status	Progress
Work with Crown cemetery operators to investigate ways to unlock more supply.	Substantially underway	On 7 April 2025 Catholic Cemeteries & Crematoria Trust (CCC) opened a new Crown cemetery, Macarthur Memorial Park, with capacity for 136,000 plots and over 300,000 ash interments, open to all faiths.
Implement an exempt and complying development framework for minor ancillary works.	Complete	On 13 December 2024 the State Environmental Planning Policy (Transport and Infrastructure) 2021 was amended to implement this action.
Recognise the need to plan for cemeteries and crematoria in regional land-use plans.	Substantially underway	DPHI is currently updating the Greater Sydney Region Plan which will address the importance of access to major social infrastructure such as cemeteries and crematoria.
Work with operators, religious groups, and other stakeholders to increase the availability of renewable tenure.	Future years	Work will commence in 2025-26.
Investigate options to sensitively renew and repurpose older areas in cemeteries.	Substantially underway	Amendments proposed to the Cemeteries and Crematoria Act 2013 introduce a framework for approving renewal projects.
Support operators to explore and adopt innovative emerging technologies and lower environmental impacts.	Future years	Work will commence in 2025-26.

Full details for entry Work with Crown cemetery operators to investigate ways to unlock more supply.
Commitments	Work with Crown cemetery operators to investigate ways to unlock more supply.
Status	Substantially underway
Progress	On 7 April 2025 Catholic Cemeteries & Crematoria Trust (CCC) opened a new Crown cemetery, Macarthur Memorial Park, with capacity for 136,000 plots and over 300,000 ash interments, open to all faiths.

Full details for entry Implement an exempt and complying development framework for minor ancillary works.
Commitments	Implement an exempt and complying development framework for minor ancillary works.
Status	Complete
Progress	On 13 December 2024 the State Environmental Planning Policy (Transport and Infrastructure) 2021 was amended to implement this action.

Full details for entry Recognise the need to plan for cemeteries and crematoria in regional land-use plans.
Commitments	Recognise the need to plan for cemeteries and crematoria in regional land-use plans.
Status	Substantially underway
Progress	DPHI is currently updating the Greater Sydney Region Plan which will address the importance of access to major social infrastructure such as cemeteries and crematoria.

Full details for entry Work with operators, religious groups, and other stakeholders to increase the availability of renewable tenure.
Commitments	Work with operators, religious groups, and other stakeholders to increase the availability of renewable tenure.
Status	Future years
Progress	Work will commence in 2025-26.

Full details for entry Investigate options to sensitively renew and repurpose older areas in cemeteries.
Commitments	Investigate options to sensitively renew and repurpose older areas in cemeteries.
Status	Substantially underway
Progress	Amendments proposed to the Cemeteries and Crematoria Act 2013 introduce a framework for approving renewal projects.

Full details for entry Support operators to explore and adopt innovative emerging technologies and lower environmental impacts.
Commitments	Support operators to explore and adopt innovative emerging technologies and lower environmental impacts.
Status	Future years
Progress	Work will commence in 2025-26.

Commitments	Status	Progress
Ensure the regulator is positioned to provide governance and oversight of the 2 Crown operators	Complete	The 2 Crown operators are licensed under the Interment Industry Scheme and subject to regulation by CCNSW.
Finalise the operating model for the Catholic Metropolitan Cemeteries.	Complete	In 2024 the 2 Crown operator model was implemented smoothly. CCC became the successor entity of Catholic Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust with the passage of the Catholic Cemeteries and Crematoria Trust Act 2024.
Support the new cemetery development at Varroville.	Complete	On 7 April 2025 the Premier and the Minister for Lands and Property opened Macarthur Memorial Park at Varroville with capacity for 136,000 burial plots and over 300,000 ash interments.
Provide certainty for the future of Metropolitan Memorial Parks.	Substantially underway	MMP has been appointed to manage the general crematoria site at Rookwood Cemetery from July 2025 when the current lease expires.

Full details for entry Ensure the regulator is positioned to provide governance and oversight of the 2 Crown operators
Commitments	Ensure the regulator is positioned to provide governance and oversight of the 2 Crown operators
Status	Complete
Progress	The 2 Crown operators are licensed under the Interment Industry Scheme and subject to regulation by CCNSW.

Full details for entry Finalise the operating model for the Catholic Metropolitan Cemeteries.
Commitments	Finalise the operating model for the Catholic Metropolitan Cemeteries.
Status	Complete
Progress	In 2024 the 2 Crown operator model was implemented smoothly. CCC became the successor entity of Catholic Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust with the passage of the Catholic Cemeteries and Crematoria Trust Act 2024.

Full details for entry Support the new cemetery development at Varroville.
Commitments	Support the new cemetery development at Varroville.
Status	Complete
Progress	On 7 April 2025 the Premier and the Minister for Lands and Property opened Macarthur Memorial Park at Varroville with capacity for 136,000 burial plots and over 300,000 ash interments.

Full details for entry Provide certainty for the future of Metropolitan Memorial Parks.
Commitments	Provide certainty for the future of Metropolitan Memorial Parks.
Status	Substantially underway
Progress	MMP has been appointed to manage the general crematoria site at Rookwood Cemetery from July 2025 when the current lease expires.

1. Delivering strong consumer protection

Commitments	Status	Progress
Regulate cemeteries and crematoria effectively	Substantially underway	Licensing of cemetery and crematoria operators is substantially complete. 99.4% of interments in NSW are now undertaken by operators who are licensed. New customers standards are now fully commenced. These protect consumers by requiring plain language contracts, plans for cemetery maintenance, transparent prices, good customer service, and respect for religious and cultural requirements.
Modernise and streamline the Cemeteries and Crematoria Act 2013.	Substantially underway	In October 2024 CCNSW consulted on proposed amendments to the Cemeteries and Crematoria Act 2013. The Government is considering the results of that consultation ahead of legislative reform.
Develop a contemporary approach for the perpetual maintenance of cemeteries.	Early stages	CCNSW has commenced development of a Perpetual Maintenance Framework. Stage one is gathering input into what type of use/ongoing maintence communities want to see at cemeteries when they are no longer burying people.
Continually monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the Interment Industry Scheme.	Early stages	CCNSW has commenced monitoring operator's compliance with the new customer service standards contained in the Interment Industry Scheme, including through site visits and audits. The new customer service standards only fully commenced on 1 October 2024 and monitoring and evaluation will be expanded over time.
Do more research to better understand customer needs and journeys, and emerging market trends.	Early stages	CCNSW is currently undertaking customer and community research to inform the Perpetual Maintenance Framework. Additional research will be undertaken to inform CCNSW's work future years.
Maximise the value of cemeteries as public spaces, in line with community needs and expectations.	Early stages	Research to understand operator and community views on this topic commenced in May 2025 as part of developing the Perpetual Maintenance Framework.

Full details for entry Regulate cemeteries and crematoria effectively
Commitments	Regulate cemeteries and crematoria effectively
Status	Substantially underway
Progress	Licensing of cemetery and crematoria operators is substantially complete. 99.4% of interments in NSW are now undertaken by operators who are licensed. New customers standards are now fully commenced. These protect consumers by requiring plain language contracts, plans for cemetery maintenance, transparent prices, good customer service, and respect for religious and cultural requirements.

Full details for entry Modernise and streamline the Cemeteries and Crematoria Act 2013.
Commitments	Modernise and streamline the Cemeteries and Crematoria Act 2013.
Status	Substantially underway
Progress	In October 2024 CCNSW consulted on proposed amendments to the Cemeteries and Crematoria Act 2013. The Government is considering the results of that consultation ahead of legislative reform.

Full details for entry Develop a contemporary approach for the perpetual maintenance of cemeteries.
Commitments	Develop a contemporary approach for the perpetual maintenance of cemeteries.
Status	Early stages
Progress	CCNSW has commenced development of a Perpetual Maintenance Framework. Stage one is gathering input into what type of use/ongoing maintence communities want to see at cemeteries when they are no longer burying people.

Full details for entry Continually monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the Interment Industry Scheme.
Commitments	Continually monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the Interment Industry Scheme.
Status	Early stages
Progress	CCNSW has commenced monitoring operator's compliance with the new customer service standards contained in the Interment Industry Scheme, including through site visits and audits. The new customer service standards only fully commenced on 1 October 2024 and monitoring and evaluation will be expanded over time.

Full details for entry Do more research to better understand customer needs and journeys, and emerging market trends.
Commitments	Do more research to better understand customer needs and journeys, and emerging market trends.
Status	Early stages
Progress	CCNSW is currently undertaking customer and community research to inform the Perpetual Maintenance Framework. Additional research will be undertaken to inform CCNSW's work future years.

Full details for entry Maximise the value of cemeteries as public spaces, in line with community needs and expectations.
Commitments	Maximise the value of cemeteries as public spaces, in line with community needs and expectations.
Status	Early stages
Progress	Research to understand operator and community views on this topic commenced in May 2025 as part of developing the Perpetual Maintenance Framework.

2. Supporting sustainable practices

Commitments	Status	Progress
Work with Crown cemetery operators to investigate ways to unlock more supply.	Substantially underway	On 7 April 2025 Catholic Cemeteries & Crematoria Trust (CCC) opened a new Crown cemetery, Macarthur Memorial Park, with capacity for 136,000 plots and over 300,000 ash interments, open to all faiths.
Implement an exempt and complying development framework for minor ancillary works.	Complete	On 13 December 2024 the State Environmental Planning Policy (Transport and Infrastructure) 2021 was amended to implement this action.
Recognise the need to plan for cemeteries and crematoria in regional land-use plans.	Substantially underway	DPHI is currently updating the Greater Sydney Region Plan which will address the importance of access to major social infrastructure such as cemeteries and crematoria.
Work with operators, religious groups, and other stakeholders to increase the availability of renewable tenure.	Future years	Work will commence in 2025-26.
Investigate options to sensitively renew and repurpose older areas in cemeteries.	Substantially underway	Amendments proposed to the Cemeteries and Crematoria Act 2013 introduce a framework for approving renewal projects.
Support operators to explore and adopt innovative emerging technologies and lower environmental impacts.	Future years	Work will commence in 2025-26.

Full details for entry Work with Crown cemetery operators to investigate ways to unlock more supply.
Commitments	Work with Crown cemetery operators to investigate ways to unlock more supply.
Status	Substantially underway
Progress	On 7 April 2025 Catholic Cemeteries & Crematoria Trust (CCC) opened a new Crown cemetery, Macarthur Memorial Park, with capacity for 136,000 plots and over 300,000 ash interments, open to all faiths.

Full details for entry Implement an exempt and complying development framework for minor ancillary works.
Commitments	Implement an exempt and complying development framework for minor ancillary works.
Status	Complete
Progress	On 13 December 2024 the State Environmental Planning Policy (Transport and Infrastructure) 2021 was amended to implement this action.

Full details for entry Recognise the need to plan for cemeteries and crematoria in regional land-use plans.
Commitments	Recognise the need to plan for cemeteries and crematoria in regional land-use plans.
Status	Substantially underway
Progress	DPHI is currently updating the Greater Sydney Region Plan which will address the importance of access to major social infrastructure such as cemeteries and crematoria.

Full details for entry Work with operators, religious groups, and other stakeholders to increase the availability of renewable tenure.
Commitments	Work with operators, religious groups, and other stakeholders to increase the availability of renewable tenure.
Status	Future years
Progress	Work will commence in 2025-26.

Full details for entry Investigate options to sensitively renew and repurpose older areas in cemeteries.
Commitments	Investigate options to sensitively renew and repurpose older areas in cemeteries.
Status	Substantially underway
Progress	Amendments proposed to the Cemeteries and Crematoria Act 2013 introduce a framework for approving renewal projects.

Full details for entry Support operators to explore and adopt innovative emerging technologies and lower environmental impacts.
Commitments	Support operators to explore and adopt innovative emerging technologies and lower environmental impacts.
Status	Future years
Progress	Work will commence in 2025-26.

3. Providing certainty for our Crown operators

Commitments	Status	Progress
Ensure the regulator is positioned to provide governance and oversight of the 2 Crown operators	Complete	The 2 Crown operators are licensed under the Interment Industry Scheme and subject to regulation by CCNSW.
Finalise the operating model for the Catholic Metropolitan Cemeteries.	Complete	In 2024 the 2 Crown operator model was implemented smoothly. CCC became the successor entity of Catholic Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust with the passage of the Catholic Cemeteries and Crematoria Trust Act 2024.
Support the new cemetery development at Varroville.	Complete	On 7 April 2025 the Premier and the Minister for Lands and Property opened Macarthur Memorial Park at Varroville with capacity for 136,000 burial plots and over 300,000 ash interments.
Provide certainty for the future of Metropolitan Memorial Parks.	Substantially underway	MMP has been appointed to manage the general crematoria site at Rookwood Cemetery from July 2025 when the current lease expires.

Full details for entry Ensure the regulator is positioned to provide governance and oversight of the 2 Crown operators
Commitments	Ensure the regulator is positioned to provide governance and oversight of the 2 Crown operators
Status	Complete
Progress	The 2 Crown operators are licensed under the Interment Industry Scheme and subject to regulation by CCNSW.

Full details for entry Finalise the operating model for the Catholic Metropolitan Cemeteries.
Commitments	Finalise the operating model for the Catholic Metropolitan Cemeteries.
Status	Complete
Progress	In 2024 the 2 Crown operator model was implemented smoothly. CCC became the successor entity of Catholic Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust with the passage of the Catholic Cemeteries and Crematoria Trust Act 2024.

Full details for entry Support the new cemetery development at Varroville.
Commitments	Support the new cemetery development at Varroville.
Status	Complete
Progress	On 7 April 2025 the Premier and the Minister for Lands and Property opened Macarthur Memorial Park at Varroville with capacity for 136,000 burial plots and over 300,000 ash interments.

Full details for entry Provide certainty for the future of Metropolitan Memorial Parks.
Commitments	Provide certainty for the future of Metropolitan Memorial Parks.
Status	Substantially underway
Progress	MMP has been appointed to manage the general crematoria site at Rookwood Cemetery from July 2025 when the current lease expires.

Updated 04 August 2025