Wednesday, 3 June 2026
Constituency questions
Northern Victoria Region
-
Commencement
-
Papers
-
Business of the house
-
Members statements
-
Questions without notice and ministers statements
-
Constituency questions
-
Motions
-
Statements on tabled papers and petitions
-
Adjournment
Proof only
Please do not quote
Northern Victoria Region
Georgie PURCELL (Northern Victoria) (12:53): (2355) My question is for the Minister for Health. From the 1960s until 2019, thousands of human remains at Castlemaine Cemetery were dug up and dumped in bushland while plots were resold to other families. Historical letters, police investigations and Department of Health warnings show that authorities repeatedly instructed the cemetery trust to stop the unlawful practice, including after a human skull was discovered in 1994. When cemetery manager Deb Tranter took over in 2020, she ceased the practice immediately and sought advice from the department on how to respectfully handle the remains. She was told to apply for a grant, hire an excavator and rebury any bones found. Given the department oversees compliance for 490 cemeteries across Victoria, with most run by volunteers like Deb, can the minister please explain why repeated warnings were ignored for decades and whether, as the new minister, she will implement procedures to ensure this never happens again?