Health authorities stand by controversial 10-person limit at Melbourne funerals

Health officials say it is still unsafe for more than 10 people to attend a funeral despite a move that nearly allowed 1200 people at a race meeting.

Victorian health authorities are maintaining it is still unsafe to have more than 10 people gather at a funeral in Melbourne despite a move to allow 1200 racegoers to attend the Cox Plate race meeting this weekend.

Even though the state government reversed its decision, public health officials have copped backlash for allowing it in the first place – especially since no more than 10 can gather to mourn the loss of a loved one in metropolitan Melbourne.

Speaking at Thursday’s COVID-19 media briefing, deputy chief health officer Professor Allen Cheng said it was still unsafe for more than 10 to gather at a funeral but expected this to change in the near future.

“This is changing over time and we hope … that by next week or week after it will change,” he told reporters.

Victorian deputy chief health officer professor Allen Cheng says it is still unsafe for more than 10 people to gather at a funeral in metropolitan Melbourne. Picture: Penny Stephens/NCA NewsWire

Currently, funerals held in metropolitan Melbourne are limited to 10 mourners, plus those required to conduct the funeral. Babies under 12 months of age are not counted in the 10-person limit.

Up to 20 mourners can attend a funeral in regional Victoria.

It comes after the state government on Tuesday backflipped on a decision to allow a crowd of 1200 people at Saturday’s Cox Plate, with Racing Minister Martin Pakula reversing the decision just hours after it was announced.

Tonight I’ve spoken to the Moonee Valley Racing Club and the decision’s been reversed. Owners won’t return to the race track until we reach the next stage of the easing of restrictions. I apologise for any upset that has been caused 2/2

— Martin Pakula (@MartinPakulaMP) October 20, 2020

It followed an intense reaction from the community over an alleged double standard where hundreds would have been able to gather at the Moonee Valley Racing Club despite Melburnians living under strict stay-at-home directions.

Professor Cheng, who was forced to explain the public health advice, said there would have been safeguards to separate groups.

“We were not expecting 1200 people to just gather at the one spot – that was not what was presented,” he said.

“There are people that were involved in the jockeys, the strappers and those running the event and they’re separate from other groups, and there was certainly a plan for other people to be well separated in small groups – that was some of the things we took into account.”

Originally published as Health authorities stand by controversial 10-person limit at Melbourne funerals