Coogee Bali bombing memorial granted Covid exemption

NSW Health officials initially refused a lockdown exemption to Coogee’s annual event to remember the 2002 Bali bombings, before ministerial intervention.

A yearly ceremony to mark the Bali bombings will be granted an exemption from strong lockdown rules to ensure the commemoration can go ahead even if the state doesn’t reach crucial vaccination thresholds.

Health Minister Brad Hazzard has overruled his department, instructing NSW Health to approve a request from Randwick council to allow its yearly commemoration in Coogee to go ahead.

“I will be instructing them to review the request and to give it approval, with an appropriate Covid-safe plan,” he told The Daily Telegraph.

“Anybody who lived through the Bali bombings would know the horror that happened to innocent Australians.”

Coogee MP Marjorie O'Neill and Coogee Dolphins President Paul Vanni were angry that NSW Health initially rejected an exemption request for this year's Bali bombing memorial. Picture: Tim Hunter.

Mr Hazzard said attendees would need to be fully-vaccinated – a condition the Council is open to.

Minutes before Mr Hazzard’s intervention, NSW Health defended an earlier decision to deny a lockdown exemption for 100 people event.

“While NSW Health is sympathetic to the many reasons exemptions are requested, a

high threshold in place for the granting of these arrangements to ensure there is no

risk to the public,” a spokeswoman said.

Randwick City Council applied for an exemption to hold a Covid-safe event for up to 100 people on September 14. It was rejected two days later.

Mr Hazzard’s office wrote to local MP Marjorie O’Neill on Tuesday advising that no exemption would be provided.

Mr Hazzard’s decision to step in and ensure an exemption gives Randwick Council certainty in planning the October 12 event, which is likely to fall after the state reaches 70 per cent double-vaccination rates.

The original rejection angered Coogee locals who lost loved ones in the terror attack 19 years ago.

The 2002 attacks killed 88 Australians, including six members of the Coogee Dolphins Rugby League club.

Coogee Dolphins President Paul Vanni said denying the exemption was “ludicrous”.

“There were 7,000 people down at Coogee beach on Sunday,” he said.

Local Labor MP Marjorie O’Neill welcomed Mr Hazzard’s intervention to ensure the event goes ahead.

She labelled the initial rejection “insulting”.