TANYA Davies MP, Member for Badgerys Creek has expressed her strong support for a petition by Glenmore Park local Chloe Kessell calling on the NSW Government to review cemetery regulations across NSW to better support grieving families and to consider legislation protecting families’ rights to memorialise their loved ones with personal touches, such as garden ornaments, and artificial flowers.
The signatories of the petition argue that cemeteries should be places of peace and reflection, allowing families to honour their loved ones in meaningful ways. Mrs Davies said many cemeteries, including Pinegrove Memorial Park, enforce restrictive policies—such as “fresh flowers only” rules—that place unnecessary financial and emotional burdens on grieving families.
Mrs Davies recently met with Chloe Kessell, Maddie Kalkhoven and Angelina Hocking, whose friend Aroha Tupaea sadly and unexpectedly passed away from cardiac arrest in 2022.
Chloe and her friends have been outspoken about the fact that at Pinegrove Memorial Park, personal garden ornaments and artificial flowers lovingly placed by families are routinely removed and discarded, leaving graves bare and impersonal. “While these actions are often justified under the guise of maintenance and safety, they make families feel unwelcome and deny them the ability to create a unique, comforting space for remembrance,” Mrs Davies said.
“The “fresh flowers only” policy is particularly difficult, as it becomes costly for families to maintain, often resulting in graves left without any tribute at all. Artificial flowers and garden ornaments provide a lasting and affordable way for families to pay their respects without the financial strain of continuously replacing fresh flowers.”
Angelina stated “the ornament that was on her grave was special to us, it was something I used to remember her by and just because it meant nothing to the cemetery doesn’t mean it didn’t mean something to someone else. The grave used to be a place I could respect, love, cherish and remember the life of Aroha, but the cemetery has only made it impossible to do so.”
Mrs Davies commended Chloe, Maddie and Angelina. “It’s inspiring that these young women are fighting so hard to have the right to honour their friend Aroha. I encourage all who share these views to sign the petition,” stated Mrs Davies.
To view and sign the petition, please visit the following link:
www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/la/Pages/ePetition-details.aspx?q=IQwonrY96tkGspfxBuQkcA
