Agfest will go ahead at this stage

Tasmania’s biggest agricultural showcase to go ahead in May while a visit to the State’s north by a Royal Commission has been shelved due to health concerns.

Organisers of Tasmania’s biggest agricultural event are pushing ahead with plans but a Royal Commission committee has decided to put its visit to the State’s north on ice.

The Agfest Organising Committee says it is watching the situation closely and has contingencies in place in case they need to cancel.

CORONAVIRUS CLINICS SET UP IN THE NORTH-WEST

Already 700 exhibitors are locked in for Agfest 2020 to be held at Quercus Park near Launceston from May 7-9.

The number of events being cancelled around Australia and Tasmania continues to grow.

Dark Mofo has been cancelled and sporting clubs are assessing what their best moves are.

The Agfest Committee this week reassured its exhibitors and patrons that it was still planning on going ahead with the field days.

“The Organising committee are in full swing planning the dynamic event attendees know and love,” a statement said.

“We are staying in close contact with health authorities and we will implement any additional measures suggested to ensure the health and safety of all.”

The committee pointed out that Australia’s Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy had states that mass public gathering should go ahead in the face of the coronavirus crisis and that the risk to the public was low.

The Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability today said it had postponed community forums in northern Tasmania due to concerns about the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak.

HOBART STUDENTS ON FLIGHT WITH CORONAVIRUS CASE

The Commission was scheduled to visit Burnie and Launceston next week for a series of community forums and information sessions.

Chair Ronald Sackville AO QC said the Royal Commission has been closely monitoring the situation and had made its decision in the best interest of the health and safety of the community generally and of people with disability in particular.

‘We apologise for any inconvenience, however we consider this to be a necessary and appropriate step, given the number of confirmed cases in Australia continues to rise,” Mr Sackville said.

‘We want to assure all those who have registered for the forums in Tasmania, and the wider community, that there will be many other opportunities for people to tell the Royal Commission about their experiences of violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation.”