The Public Health Act 1991 and Public Health (Disposal of Bodies) Regulation 2002 regulates the handling of bodies both by funeral industry professionals and by members of the public. The regulation expresses rules rather than explaining how the deceased are to be disposed. The regulations control:

• premises and facilities for handling bodies,
• waste disposal,
• handling of bodies including embalming, viewing, the use of body bags and storage of bodies,
• restriction of burials,
• exhumations,
• crematories and cremations; and
• maintenance of registers.

Legislation
 Section 52, Public Health Act 1991 - Approval of Equipment for Crematory
 Public Health (Disposal of Bodies) Regulation 2002
 Public Health (Disposal of Bodies) Regulation 2002
 Local Government (General) Regulation 2005 – Schedule 2, Part 4

Guidelines
 Guidelines for the Funeral Industry

Approvals
 Clause 11(1) - Institutes approved to conduct Certificate IV course to enable people to embalm deceased bodies
 Clause 12(1) - Courses approved to allow persons to carry out invasive procedures on deceased bodies with List A diseases

Cremation Forms
 Circular 2004/43 Cremation Certificates and Related Requirements
 Application for Permission for Cremation (other than Still-Born Children) with Statutory Declaration - Clause 36(1)
 Application for Permission for Cremation of Still-Born Child with Statutory Declaration - Clause 37(1)
 Attending Practitioner's Medical Certificate - Clause 38(1)(a)
 Medical Referee's Cremation Permit (other than Still-Born Children) - Clause 39(1)
 Coroner's Cremation Permit - Clause 40
 Medical Referee's Permit for Cremation of Body of Still-Born Child - Clause 41(1)
 Register of Cremations - Clause 44

Exhumations
 Application to Exhume Remains - Clause 26(2)