Monthly Archives: February 2014

Nigel Slater’s parting gift to the community he loved and cared for was his own death.  Having developed lung cancer during the shooting of a documentary on the centre’s (Port Kembla Community Project) plans to establish a not-for-profit funeral service … Continue reading →

Ian Kirkwood writes about the death of his mother-in-law reporting that “in keeping with her wishes there was no funeral.” And then observes:  “… I was struck, as I know others were, by the speed with which our lives race … Continue reading →

Director of the Funeral Consumers Alliance, Joshua Slocum has some words of advice to help us all avoid funeral hassles.  He knows all about mortuary mythology.  Rather than get the low  down on death, dying, funerals and dead people from … Continue reading →

Gerard Ryle reports on the high cost of dying and the traps encountered by the unsuspecting and unprepared, which unfortunately is most of us.  And will continue to be unless we come to appreciate that a funeral is a commercial … Continue reading →

Cottle and Keys (UWS) writing in the Journal of Australian Political Economy No 54 reveal that the funeral industry is rapidly changing all in the name of vertical integration and increased profits. The end user is left to manage as … Continue reading →

Wendy Harmer writes about caring for her 82 year old father, and contemplating all the options relating to his care.  “…we seem to be in denial about what’s up ahead”. Read the  full story here:  http://www.smh.com.au/comment/live-on-dad–but-please-go-soon-20140207-326tg.html