Letters to the Editor.
Some weeks back [March 29, 2007] you published an article about Dally Messenger, a Melbourne funeral celebrant. Perhaps he is better known as the biographer of his famous grandfather, Dally Messenger. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission made allegations that he, Dally Messenger had tried to convince other funeral celebrants to collectively increase fees for funeral ceremonies.
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From my understanding of what actually transpired this is not the case. I have read the text of the talk given by Mr. Messenger and in no way did he attempt to fix the prices for funeral ceremonies. In fact what he proposed was something very different. He has continually advocated over the years that the only fair way to pay a celebrant is on an hourly rate fixed by the celebrant himself. This is no different to what any qualified tradesperson or professional does in their work when quoting a price for professional services. Mr. Messenger did precisely that when he spoke to his audience.
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It needs also to be acknowledged that people who work in a profession similar to Mr. Messenger are meant to be experts in that field and need to be reimbursed in a fashion that does justice to their profession and their training. Unfortunately our society on the whole does not recognize this for civil celebrants are at the bottom of the “food chain” in the work they undertake. They receive little for their services when considering the important role they play in the lives of a family and the broader community. The amount of money spent on receptions and the like compared to the fee given to a celebrant for the detailed work involved seems very disconcerting.
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Dally Messenger has continually reminded us that rites of passage are central to the way we live our lives. He has been a pioneer and a visionary in this field. It has been his creativity, his enthusiasm, his commitment and his insight as to what the community truly needs and values that brought about the foundation of the International College of Celebrancy. He has been its guiding light. He has fought against the mediocre, the facile, the tacky, the bland and the pedestrian clichéd performances of poorly trained celebrants.
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Dally Messenger has been the mentor for many of us. He has given us a sense of valuing a profession that does not see money and profit as the bottom line. Instead he has sought to communicate the deepest sense of worth and meaning to the privileged place ritual plays in the lives of a human being. In this way he has enhanced the cause of humanity. That is why there seems to be an apparent contradiction in what is claimed by the ACCC.
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John Hill
17 Nimbrin Street,
Turramurra2074
02 94407735
0411315533