The Funeral Industry in Queensland & Australia

In the ever-evolving landscape of the funeral industry, the past four decades have witnessed profound changes in how we approach the delicate matters of death, grief, and funerals. While some of these changes have ushered in positive transformations, others have raised concerns about the essence of compassion and care during times of profound loss. If you find yourself in need of the services of a funeral director for your family, this information is crucial. It not only sheds light on the evolving dynamics of the industry but also equips you with essential insights to navigate the decisions ahead with wisdom and consideration.

In general, death, dying, grief, loss, and funerals are difficult topics to discuss. By their very nature, these subjects are associated with negative experiences of loss and pain. As a result, we often don't give proper attention when selecting a funeral director or researching how to choose a funeral company. Because there is great disparity between offerings, companies, and cost, we recommend researching as much as possible,

For Queensland, as well as throughout Australia, the funeral industry is largely dominated by two big corporations. These companies have adopted a business model of acquisition, buying up various funeral company names to gain a greater share of the market. For instance, in Queensland, one company, InvoCare, owns a number of funeral companies, such as White Lady Funerals, George Hartnett, Metropolitan, Value, Drysdale Funerals, Sommerville, and Simplicity Funerals, as well as dominant crematoria and cemeteries. InvoCare was recently purchased by a large American private equity firm. The other major company in the industry is Propel, which is publicly listed and had a turnover of 168.5 million dollars in 2023, according to their annual report. Propel also owns many different funeral names in the hope that a family will choose at least one. As a result, it is not uncommon for a family to speak to multiple people who are actually representing different funeral names of the same company.

Profit focus, shareholder pressure, sales techniques and sales targets, are elements of business that don't align well with the work we conduct in funeral care. Because of this business structure, many corporately owned funeral companies have much larger professional  fees when compared to independent funeral companies, yet often families choose their funeral company on the marketable value rather than value for money, such as the perceived care of ladies only for one  example. 

In addition and as a result of the traditional approach to funeral directing, corporate monopolisation, and the upward pressure on increasing costs due to executive salaries, shareholder pressure and generally very high costs, we have seen the recent introduction to the industry of what we call the 'non funeral director' funeral companies. These companies are more often software, computer or legal industry specialists, who have seen an opportunity to market to an industry not normally technology rich. Their strategy is to focus only on the direct cremation approach, sometimes discussing memorial services, whilst stating their way is the new way when if reality, it is just one option all funeral directors have offered for a century. Unfortuantely, these companies don't have the infrastructure for funeral care, therefore they sub contract other actual funeral companies to undertake a portion of the required care. These companies have little desire to conduct the funeral work themselves. As a result, these companies have amazing marketing skills, slick and clever websites, however, market to a clientele without an understanding of who is conducting the work.

Although much harder to find, the independent family owned funeral company will always be able to offer all of the services available by the American owned and corporate funeral company, as well as the 'non funeral director' companies offering only direct cremation. In many and most cases, these families are operating a business in an area of care that they believe in, whilst understanding the sacred privilege that is involved when assisting a family, even if in a simple manner. And because these companies do not have CEOs, CFOs, COOs, executive salaries and so on, they are nearly always thousands of dollars less than their American, corporate or non funeral director counterparts.

Our family created Simple Cremations Brisbane as a direct cremation option for our Brisbane and Queensland community. As funeral directors, we take pride in the care we offer and the services we provide. Our focus is on offering affordable fees by reducing our overheads. Simple Cremations Brisbane is a sister company of our main full-service funeral home, so if a re more than the direct service, we can provide all choices and options across the full spectrum of possibilities when facing funeral decisions.

Our advice to you should you have read thus far: -

Whoever you choose as a funeral company, the company you choose is partaking in sacredly important work. Even if just in the simple transportation of your loved one between their place of passing and ultimately their cremation. Who owns, operates and manages the company you choose, will have a direct influence on who cares for your loved one (and you), and ultimately the financial impact on you.

In conclusion, as you navigate the poignant journey of choosing a funeral company, remember that the choices you make are intrinsically linked to the sacred task of bidding farewell to a loved one. Whether it's the heartfelt simplicity of a direct cremation or the comprehensive support of a full-service funeral home, the ownership and ethos of the chosen company profoundly impact your experience. Take your time, engage with various options, and inquire about the ownership structure to ensure that your decisions align with your values and priorities. The path ahead is a delicate one, and the choices you make will shape not only the farewell of your loved one but also your personal and financial journey through these tender moments.