Funerals don’t stop because of a fuel crisis
Funeral Directors are calling on government to recognise them as an essential service in any fuel contingency or priority-access planning and to consider temporary relief or support measures to reduce the need to pass on unavoidable costs increases to bereaved families.
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Supporting whānau conversations on assisted dying: new māori-led resources
Aotearoa’s first dedicated Māori resources on assisted dying have been launched.
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The modern conundrum of scattering human ashes
An RNZ article explores the growing trend of scattering ashes in increasingly personal ways, with Andrew Malcolm and Gillian Boyes noting the wide range of modern memorial options available, while Larni Hepi highlights the cultural and spiritual considerations, particularly from a Māori perspective.
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What to do when something goes wrong with a funeral
When something goes wrong with a funeral, this blog explains the steps you can take to seek answers—and why choosing a Funeral Directors Association member can mean the difference between being supported through a formal complaints process or being left with nowhere to turn.
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Educating Children on Grief
We were privileged to have John join us in New Zealand for the 2026 Funeral Directors Conference in Auckland (24–26 February), where he shared his expertise and passion for improving grief literacy. His advocacy in this space continues to add valuable perspective to the important conversations our profession leads.
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Grief education in schools expert visits New Zealand
Grief education is about to be added to the UK school curriculum, and one of the architects of the change is visiting Auckland next week to discuss how the change has been achieved.
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How funerals help you accept death emotionally, not just intellectually
Why funerals help your heart catch up with what your mind already knows—turning shock and disbelief into shared goodbye, meaning, and the first real steps of healing.
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The True Cost of Death in New Zealand: President of Funeral Directors Association Bradley Shaw
Bradley Shaw has been around death since he was 16.
Now he’s the youngest President of the Funeral Directors Association of New Zealand — and he’s sharing what most people don’t see until it’s too late: