My name is Shabnam Abdul. I am a Muslim woman, a small business owner, and my family have called Brisbane home for decades. My father passed away on Saturday 14 September. Marhoom Haji Samsher Ali died at age 80. In line with our Islamic faith and cultural practices it was imperative for us, and in accordance with my father's final wishes, to organise his funeral within 24 hours. When we tried to obtain the mandatory Brisbane City Council approval for his burial at Mt Gravatt Cemetery on Sunday, we were met with the harsh reality that there were no Council staff available for this purpose on the weekend. It was an unnecessary and arduous episode in our grief journey that I wouldn't wish upon anyone.

When a need as sensitive as arranging a loved ones' burial is limited to week day business hours, we risk dishonouring cultural protocols. This is not just about expediency; this is about human empathy and respect for diverse religious and cultural beliefs.

Recent 2021 census data indicates our Brisbane community is home to a significant number of individuals who practice religions (including Islam and Judaism) that recommend swift burials. The unavailability of Council staff during weekends will continue to cause avoidable distress to grieving families, at a time when they are least equipped to emotionally endure it.

Brisbane City Council previously enabled urgent burial approvals to be requested on weekends. The last funeral in Brisbane's Muslim community held on a Sunday, for a death on a Saturday, was on 1 September this year. Recent changes by Brisbane City Council, which were not widely announced but followed the recent introduction of Right to Disconnect rules, have effectively removed the ability of families to request urgent burial approvals on weekends.

We are petitioning Brisbane City Council to reinstate the availability and payment of on-call staff every weekend who have the authority to process urgent burial approval requests and facilitate cemetery arrangements. This will ensure every constituent in Brisbane can honour their loved ones properly, irrespective of when a death occurs - whether within business hours, or non-business hours.