Australia's funeral industry is crying out for change

The industry is devoid of federal government oversight and relies largely on self-regulation - a burden its associations readily carry, but they can only go so far.

For years, cries for state or federal government intervention have been ignored.

Authorities have thrown up their hands, the Australian Institute of Embalming president Andrew Mitchell says, permeating the risk of "fly-by-nighters" who operate way outside of accepted ethical standards.

"Everyone gets tarred with the same brush," he tells AAP.

The embalming institute is among the organisations pushing for a long-awaited reckoning and the Australian Funeral Directors Association, which represents large operators, is leading the charge.

For embalmers - who treat bodies with chemicals to preserve them - the lack of oversight could culminate in unethical operators continuing to work even after repeated incidents, Mr Mitchell says.

The embalming institute and others like it can cancel embalmers' memberships, but unless police are involved the buck stops with them and employers when it comes to penalties, he says.

The same goes for funeral directors, who largely self-select to sign up for organisations such as the Australian Funeral Directors Association.

Association members - and members of other associations - agree to codes of conduct and ethics, but they aren't binding outside of the organisations.

Former association president Adrian Barrett notes there's a significant gap between what is considered ethical and criminal and there's no requirement for Australian funeral directors to obtain a formal qualification.

Some state governments have introduced legislation about funeral pricing transparency, but little guidance in the way of policies and procedures for funerals and funeral workers.

"You could send me a resume today and I employ you today and now you're a funeral director - congratulations," Mr Barrett says.

Mr Mitchell points to "suitcase funeral directors" working in Sydney, who start up with nothing but a car, a phone and a business listing and subcontract out work they can't do themselves.

Mr Barrett wants mandatory qualifications for funeral directors and notes there are already nationally recognised certificates - such as Certificate III in Funeral Operations - available in Australia.

"The vast majority of the funeral industry that are doing the right thing would just want everyone to be held to the same standard and that's a role which requires government - that's not something the industry can do itself," he says.

The federal government should acknowledge the important role of funeral directors in the community and treat the industry and consumers engaging with it with the respect they deserve, Mr Barrett says.

Unless there is major change, it could be up to individual states and territories to bolster their oversight of the funeral industry.

Effective oversight could take the form of businesses opening their doors for inspections, or state authorities having the power to cancel dodgy operators' licences - as they do in the real estate industry.

For embalmers, specifically, there could be a group of experts overseeing the field, given it's difficult for even the most experienced embalmers to look at a body and know how it was prepared.

The National Funeral Directors Association, which represents small and independent funeral companies, supports boosting industry standards and mandating training, in principle.

It's in favour of state government bodies registering funeral operators and denying registration if they practice unethically, former president Nigel Davies says.

However, Mr Davies warns against "one-size-fits-all" approaches that could force independents out of the industry.

He also condemns what he says are long-running unethical practices by some large companies, including offering to transfer bodies from hospitals to mortuaries for free - but only in exchange for family details.

The Australian Funeral Directors Association code of conduct prohibits funeral directors offering anything of value to third parties in exchange for bodies for funeral or disposition services.

Mr Davies believes hospitals should never hand over such details to funeral providers unless families give consent.

In 2023, most mortuary transfer arrangements between hospitals and funeral providers are legitimatised through tenders.

But even then, it's the large companies who have the monopoly given they have larger resources, Mr Davies says.

Ultimately, it's consumers who lose out when they're directed to big companies rather than smaller, local operators.

"If families stop going for the $6000 service opposite the front gate of the hospital, because the hospital has already given the body to a company based 20km away that costs twice as much, ... it has a large effect on average prices paid by consumers," Mr Davies says.

DeathTech researcher Hannah Gould ran last year's Redesigning Deathcare conference, where funeral operators from across Australia came together to discuss issues affecting the industry.

The industry is highly stigmatised and taboo and there's a distinct separation between it and the public, she says.

"I once had it said to me that it's kind of like abattoirs," Dr Gould says.

"No one really wants to know about that system in detail but you do - at the end of the day - want to know that it's being done in the most safe, humane and regulated way."

Most consumers assume the industry is effectively regulated and there's fear within about major players dominating the conversation on what standards should apply, Dr Gould says.

However, she doesn't see that as a reason against a solid regulatory framework.

"It just means that we need to talk about it," she says.

The next Redesigning Deathcare conference is slated for 2024.

Australian Associated Press