Ivan Milat could be forced to pay for his own funeral with savings
His dying wish was that his family not pay a cent for his funeral, but the NSW government may have the last laugh with Corrections Minister Anthony Roberts seeking legal advice to access Milat’s prison savings.
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Backpacker killer Ivan Milat died with less than $3000 in his bank account and now that money could be used to pay for his funeral.
With the family of one of Australia’s most notorious criminals refusing to carry out his dying wish to pay for his service, it can be revealed the State government may have the last laugh.
Government lawyers were last week examining whether the money Milat had accumulated in his prison bank account during his time in Supermax can be accessed to cover the serial killer’s funeral costs.
While the exact amount has not been publicly released, it is believed to be between $2,000 and $3,000 — enough to shield taxpayers from the cost of a “pauper’s funeral”.
A prison source said part of the money was from earnings he accumulated while briefly working as a sweeper in Supermax when he was first transferred to the high security compound.
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The rest he may have received as gifts from family to pay for “buy-ups” of treats and knick-knacks, or came from the weekly “prison dole” — an allowance of around $15 to cover the cost of basic items, the source said.
“He was as sweeper for while, but that was years ago,” the source said.
“He only ever bought minimal buy-ups and always wore jail issue stuff.
“His account just built up over the years.”
Corrections Minister Anthony Roberts said he was looking forward to a decision which he hoped meant taxpayers should not have to pay for the killer’s funeral.
“The NSW government is seeking legal advice to make sure he pays for his funeral,” he said.
“As soon as we can finalise this matter … the better.”
As Milat’s body sits in the State morgue, retired prison boss Ron Woodham spoke of his relief at the passing of one of his most famous “clients”, while recounting his encounters with the murderer during his 10 years as commissioner.
“He always asked me the same question – how long am I going to be in here?” Mr Woodham said.
“Everyone knows he sawed his finger off and swallowed a part of a toilet chain (in protest at his conviction), but we know he was also going to cut his achilles tendon. For some reason, he didn’t.
“He was always saying, ‘I’ll get out of this place, don’t you worry Woodham’. ”
Mr Woodham, who received two to three letters a year from the killer declaring his innocence, described Milat as a “loner”, who passed the time “walking and doing push-ups” while ignoring the taunts of his fellow Supermax prison inmates.
“Anyone dying is not good news, but I couldn’t care less about him,” Mr Woodham said.
“ When he came to jail after being sentenced for seven murders, it was a one-way ticket.
“He was only ever going to get out in a box.”
Originally published as Ivan Milat could be forced to pay for his own funeral with savings