Labor leader Chris Minns joins Catholics’ call for government to scrap cemeteries plan

The Catholic Church has sided with new Labor leader Chris Minns in its fight against the Berejiklian government over plans to consolidate cemetery operators under a single government body.

A controversial plan to merge the operators of five Crown cemeteries into a single entity, thereby removing control from the Catholic Church, has led to an unholy war of words and anger from both sides of politics.

Some government MPs have spoken out against the move to oust the Catholic Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust from its operations.

New Labor leader Chris Minns has accused the government of trying to “push religious organisations out of the burial of the dead”, labelling the bid to fold the CMCT into a single government entity as “a muddle headed decision that should be reversed by the Premier’’.

State Labor leader Chris Minns gives a press conference at Rookwood cemetery. Picture: Damian Shaw

The Labor Leader’s comments echo private concerns from frustrated Liberals who disagree with the decision, which would result in Catholic Cemeteries and Crematoria losing control of a number of burial sites.

The decision was announced by Property Minister Melinda Pavey last month, after an independent review found that the CMCT and other existing operators are collectively facing more than $300 million in unfunded liabilities. The Catholic Church has since launched an assault on the government over the matter, creating an online petition urging parishioners to lobby for it to be overturned. There is a belief among some MPs that the situation is set to “blow up” in the face of the government.

“It’s a bad policy decision where you don’t take your stakeholders with you on the journey,” one Liberal said.

Catholic Cemeteries and Crematoria Governor Danny Casey attacked the plan as “hostile to religion”. Picture: Damian Shaw

“I just don’t think we’ve articulated a reason why we need to do it,” the MP said.

Another likened the merger to Mike Baird’s abandoned bid to ban greyhound racing.

Backbenchers are expected to vent their frustrations at Tuesday’s Coalition party room meeting.

“Any way we look at this decision by the Premier, it is hostile to religion,” Catholic Cemeteries and Crematoria Governor Danny Casey said on Sunday.

“Why would you take out the most efficient operator … unless you had an ideology that was hostile to religion?”

Ms Pavey denied the decision is “about faith”, saying the consolidation plan was made to benefit NSW.

“Any suggestion this is about faith is false, faith and religion will remain at the heart of cemeteries,” a spokeswoman for the Minister said.

She said the government made the decision “in the best interest of the state”.

Mr Minns, who appeared alongside Mr Casey, said the premier should immediately “stop the planned axing of the Catholic cemeteries trust and get this proposal right”.

Father Peter Guy at Rookwood cemetery. Picture: Damian Shaw

Leaders of other faith groups, including the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies and the Riverstone Muslim Cemeteries Board, have indicated they supported the way the Catholic Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust runs burials.

Catholic priest Father Peter Guy said the government should “reconsider” its decision in the face of “tradition of over 150 years”, saying the Trust looks after graves and supports grieving families years after a funeral.

“There’s a continuing care for the place of rest which is a sacred place,’’ Father Guy said on Sunday.