Episode Details
Back to EpisodesBeyond the Grave: Ben Kelly on Cemeteries, Cremation and the Fight for Burial Space
Description
In this episode, I'm joined by Ben Kelly, CEO of the Australasian Cemeteries and Crematoria Association (ACCA), the peak body representing the cemetery and crematoria sector across Australia and New Zealand.
Ben takes us behind the gates of an industry most of us never think about until we have to. We talk about why cremation now accounts for 75 to 85 per cent of dispositions in Australia, why your postcode can determine how far your loved one has to travel to be cremated, and why there's no single national law governing what a cemetery can and can't do.
We get into the thornier questions too: who actually owns a grave (hint: you don't), what happens when a family plot sits unused for decades, and the surprisingly heated debate over pets being buried alongside their owners. Ben also walks us through “limited tenure” – the practice of reusing graves after a set period – and why it might be one of the only real answers to Australia's shrinking burial space.
Beyond the practicalities, Ben shares how cemeteries are quietly becoming community hubs: death cafes, baby loss memorial services, AI-powered digital storytelling projects, and even wildlife pantries for injured possums and koalas. And we don't shy away from the harder side of his industry – the funding cemeteries rarely get, and the toll the work takes on the people who show up for grieving families every day.'
Remember; You may not be ready to die, but at least you can be prepared.
Take care,
Catherine
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