Tasmania’s RSL conducted services cancelled amid coronavirus fears

RSL Tasmania has made the difficult decision to cancel its Anzac Day services across the state over health and safety concerns.

Most Tasmanians will be unable to gather together to commemorate the fallen this Anzac Day.

In a very difficult decision, RSL Tasmania state president Robert Dick announced yesterday that the state’s RSL-conducted services would not go ahead this year.

“It was a very, very difficult decision to make but it was the right one. Public health and safety far outweighs the risks,” he said.

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The decision was made on Sunday in light of the Federal Government’s decision to ban public gatherings of more than 500 people across the country.

Mr Dick said with 50 subbranches throughout the state, there were quite a few services.

“Normally they each conduct at least one service, but then you have some like Longford that conduct about seven around the region. All up it would be close to 100 services,” he said.

“Some of them are run by councils and local community groups as well.”

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Though Tasmanians will be unable to show their support in person, people are encouraged to watch a live steam of the national ceremony in Canberra.

“That is televised every year anyway – the dawn service and the main service – so they’re looking at getting that as wide and disseminated as they can to get a lot of support from people,” he said.

“There will, I believe, be a very reduced crowd at the event. It may even be a private service, I don’t know. It’s all under planning stages at the present moment.”

Mr Dick said the community would also be asked to take a few moments to remember the fallen.

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“What we’re asking is that people, similarly to what they do on Remembrance Day, at 11am just pause for a few moments and remember the sacrifice made by the servicemen and woman who served our country,” he said.

“Personally, I will go to my local cenotaph and I’ll lay a poppy there anyway. I’ll make sure I don’t do it if there’s a crowd there – I’ll wait so I can have that moment of quiet reflection if I can.”

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Mr Dick said in this time of uncertainty it was important that people stayed calm and abreast of the situation.

“There are some pretty dire situations occurring throughout the world, hopefully we don’t get to that stage here in Australia,” he said.

“But be aware of the safety precautions that you can actually take to protect yourself.

“If people do that, hopefully we should come through this pretty well.”

The Glenorchy City Council has also cancelled its Anzac Day services.