RSL Tasmania reinstates 2021 Anzac Day march in Hobart – but with restrictions on participants

Less than a week after announcing the Hobart Anzac Day parade had been cancelled, RSL Tasmania has made a new decision on the event.

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HOBART’S Anzac Day parade has been reinstated less than a week after it was cancelled, and will go ahead in a reduced format with only veterans allowed to take part.

The RSL announced last week the parade would be cancelled due to ongoing COVID-19 gathering limits, but that the dawn and day services would go ahead with restricted numbers.

But on Thursday, RSL state president Robert Dick said the decision to now go ahead with the parade had been made following further advice from the state government, changing events around the country, and input from the veterans community.

“In keeping with COVID-19 safe requirements, the parade will be restricted to veterans only, and no descendants will be involved,” he said.

“Descendants will have the opportunity to register for attendance at the mid-morning commemorative service at the Hobart Cenotaph.”

The RSL said all aspects of the commemorations, including the dawn service, parade and mid-morning service, would be ticketed events with pre-registration required.

A large crowd gathered on the Bridge of Remembrance to watch those marching to the Cenotaph on Anzac Day in 2019. Picture: LUKE BOWDEN

Mr Dick said he appreciated the public’s determination to preserve Anzac Day traditions and the community’s concern for the health and wellbeing of veterans, many of whom are elderly and at higher risk from the virus.

“We are taking the necessary time in undertaking to carefully plan commemorative activities which preserve the health of both veterans and the public,” he said.

Anzac Day events in 2020 were cancelled due to coronavirus restrictions, at a time when Tasmania was battling to contain a virus outbreak in the state’s North-West.

Veterans’ Affairs Minister Guy Barnett said he was pleased the Hobart parade would proceed.

“While the format of this year’s events will be different to that of previous years, I am confident that Tasmanian veterans, their families and the broader community will appreciate the opportunity to take part in our treasured Anzac Day traditions,” he said.

“Our government will continue to work with RSL Tasmania and their sub-branches as they arrange commemorative events this Anzac Day.”

The RSL encouraged Tasmanians to again “light up the dawn” as they did in 2020, commemorate from home, or go down to their local RSL service if it is being run.

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Greater Hobart RSL sub-branches’ Anzac Day plans revealed (February 20)

GREATER Hobart RSL sub-branches are beginning to lock in their Anzac Day plans, with others following Hobart’s precedent and also not hosting a parade.

It was announced on Friday that Hobart will be without an Anzac Day parade in 2021 amid ongoing COVID-19 gathering restrictions.

The dawn and day services will go ahead at the Hobart Cenotaph with ­restricted numbers.

It has been two years since public Anzac Day commemorations were held in Hobart, with last year’s events cancelled during the height of the COVID-19 shutdown.

RSL state president Robert Dick said the ­decision to scale down the 2021 event was made by the Hobart Anzac Day commemorative committee after ­extensive discussions between the committee, government and Defence stakeholders,

Mr Dick said the fate of other Anzac Day commemorations around the state would be determined by individual sub-branches based on health advice.

RSL Tasmania state president Robert Dick. Picture: NIKKI DAVIS-JONES

Sorell sub-branch president Peter Ratnik said at this stage the plan was to go ahead with all the usual dawn and day services and its parade, but march attendees will need to pre-register for a ticket, with 1000 available.

“Because of the size we are, we’re still able to have a parade, but we have to be careful how we space everyone out,” Dr Ratnik said.

“We’re excited that we can actually do something this year – for others who can’t have a service or parade two years in a row and if they weren’t fortunate enough to get a Veteran’s Affairs grant, then they’re going to be very hard up, but we were lucky to get a grant which helped us last year.

“We do it for all our veterans and community as a whole and the main thing for us is to be mindful of some of our older veterans who are in their 80s and 90s and their safety.”

Lindisfarne secretary Lorraine Parker said the eastern shore sub-branch would not go ahead with a parade this year.

“When we found out the Hobart sub-branch wasn’t having a march, we decided to follow along because we were worried if we did, we might get a lot more at ours and it’s too hard with registration and stuff,” she said.

New Norfolk sub-branch secretary Brian Glover said he would speak with the Derwent Valley Council this week about plans for that event, but anticipated also not going ahead with the parade.

The Department of Health is yet to comment what advice was given to the Hobart Anzac Day commemorative committee regarding the parade and why the parade may present a greater COVID-19 transmission risk than the static services at the ­Cenotaph.