Funeral directors are calling for a minute's silence to commemorate people who died during the Covid-19 lockdown but their families were unable to hold funerals due to restrictions.
It was a proposal National Party leader Simon Bridges gave his support to.
Funeral Directors of New Zealand president Gary Taylor today told the Epidemic Select Committee it was estimated more than 2000 people had died from all causes while New Zealand was at Alert Level 4.
"Without access to a meaningful funeral, their families have not been able to grieve properly. It is vital in the healing process," he told MPs.
"We are acutely aware of the anguish of not being able to farewell a loved one in a meaningful way. Our members see this every day.
"It is also hard for our members to bear the brunt of those families, their anguish, their anger and their utter disappear when we explain the restrictions and the rules that are imposed upon them."
Mr Taylor said due to this, there should be a "specific recognition for all those who have lost loved ones during this lockdown period, not just the 20 Covid-19 recorded deaths".
"We are calling on the Government to provide a national minute's silence to recognise, mourn and commemorate all those who have lost loved ones during this lockdown period and the essential staff who cared for them."
Mr Bridges said he "fully supported" the minute's silence, and called the work of funeral directors "unsung and important".
Hospice NZ chief executive Mary Schumacher told the committee that bereavement support would be essential for the people who were unable to have funerals over the lockdown period.
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