Tomorrow Together seeks views on burial, cremation

Published on 21 February 2024

The City of Launceston's Tomorrow Together community consultation program is kicking off for 2024, and is seeking to discover residents' views on an eclectic range of topics, including death, disaster and Christmas recycling.

City of Launceston Mayor Matthew Garwood said the upcoming Tomorrow Together consultation was set to delve into some unusual territory.

"The City of Launceston's Tomorrow Together program is an ongoing dedicated community consultation opportunity which involves us going out to the community several times a year on a range of different topics," Mayor Garwood said.

"In the past we've sought the community's views on city planning, playgrounds, the environment and much more.

"The answers provided by the community help us to develop new policies, management plans and initiatives to help make our city an even better place.

"In 2024 we're kicking off with some questions about … death!

"It may not be the cheeriest of topics, but it's important for our Council to understand the community's views in this area, because it helps us to plan for the future management of assets like the Carr Villa Memorial Park.

"Cremation is becoming more common compared to traditional burial, so we're eager keen to see how Launceston residents feel about it, and what factors they consider when a loved one passes away.

"On a somewhat lighter note, consultation will also includes some questions about the potential of an extra kerbside recycling collection at Christmas, what plans people have in place for natural disasters, and what people think about our recreational paths and trails across the municipality.

"As a bit of an incentive to help with engagement, for those who complete the online survey, there are some great prizes up for grabs including passes to Theatre North, the City of Launceston Leisure and Aquatic Centre, and the Hawks vs St Kilda at UTAS Stadium in May."

Carr Villa Memorial Park Acting Business Leader Eve Gibbons said it the upcoming consultation was a rare opportunity for people to provide their thoughts on end of life services.

"We know that Carr Villa Memorial Park is an important place for many Launceston families, but it's rare that we turn our thoughts to our individual wishes when we talk about end of life," Ms Gibbons said.

"This consultation provides us with an opportunity to identify changing trends, especially regarding burial and cremation preferences, and to determine how Carr Villa Memorial Park can contribute to supporting these decisions both presently and in the future.

Consultation is now open at tomorrowtogetherlaunceston.com.au and will close at the end of March.