Festival of Voices performers could fall victim to Sydney Covid-19 outbreak

A popular Tasmanian winter festival is nervously monitoring the latest Covid-19 developments in Sydney, with many of the event’s performers hailing from the harbour city. DETAILS >>

• Palmer and McGowan ordered to mediation
• Palmer blasted for spreading Covid untruths

TASMANIA’S Festival of Voices could fall victim to Sydney’s worsening Covid-19 outbreak, with some of the event’s headline acts hailing from the harbour city.

The two-week vocal extravaganza starts on Wednesday but the status of performers from Sydney remains up in the air, with the event’s organisers working with authorities to discuss the implications.

Tasmania slammed shut its borders on Wednesday to seven Sydney local government areas in response to the virus outbreak, declaring them high-risk regions.

It means travellers from those areas are banned from entering unless they are deemed essential, while Tasmanians returning home from those regions are required to quarantine.

Among performers believed to be affected are comedy cabaret act FNL, featuring Catherine Alcorn, Bob Downe and Verushka Darling who are all believed to be from Sydney.

Catherine Alcorn. Performing as part of Festival of Voices 2021.

Festival of Voices director Peter Choraziak said event organisers were monitoring the latest coronavirus developments in Sydney.

“We are carefully assessing the situation in New South Wales and would like to reassure everyone that the wellbeing of our patrons, artists and festival team is paramount at all times,’’ he said.

“We are fortunate that many of our talented artists are spread all over the country and we are working through that list to determine who is at risk of not coming.

“We are encouraged by the number of performers that are currently outside of red zones and will work with the relevant authorities to try and get the artists that are essential to our festival to Hobart.”

Applications can be made to the Deputy State Controller for approval for travellers to be considered essential.

Festival of Voices director Peter Choraziak. Picture: LUKE BOWDEN

Mr Choraziak said there would also be plenty of homegrown talent on display during this year’s festival, and he encouraged Tasmanians to turn out in droves to support the event.

“There is no better way to spend your winter than to be a part of Tasmania’s music and events scene and support our local artists,’’ he said.

He said the festival program had received all necessary approvals to proceed, saying attendees should be assured all precautions were in place.

The NSW local government areas of Sydney, Randwick, Inner West, Woollahra, Waverley, Canada Bay and Bayside have been declared high risk by Tasmanian health authorities.

Transiting through high-risk local government area directly to the airport is allowed under the current rules.

People now in Tasmania who had been in NSW on or since June 11 were urged to monitor for cold or flu-like symptoms.

Anyone in Tasmania experiencing such symptoms, even if they were mild, were being asked to isolate and call the Public Health Hotline on 1800 671 738 to arrange a Covid-19 test.

Anti Covid-19 vaccine flyers from Clive Palmer are landing in mailboxes in Hobart

A DROP of Clive Palmer’s anti Covid-19 vaccine leaflets into Tasmanian letterboxes has prompted independent Member for Clark Andrew Wilkie to again call for Federal Government action to stop the mining magnate’s disinformation campaign.

The former Queensland politician has been bombarding letterboxes in other states as well calling on people to avoid the jab and citing discredited figures on the number of deaths linked to receiving vaccines.

The anti-vaccination leaflet being dropping Hobart mailboxes.

The Prime Minister has already slammed flyers doing the rounds in march as “complete rubbish” and urged authorities to investigate.

In a letter to Health Minister Greg Hunt, Mr Wilkie said his community was very concerned at the continuing disinformation campaign being conducted by the former Queensland politician.

“I’m sure you’re well aware of this campaign but suffice to say it is dangerously misleading, undermining confidence in the vaccine rollout and will cost lives,” Mr Wilkie said.

“I urge you to again in the strongest possible terms to somehow put a stop to the distribution of such material.”

Mr Wilkie urged Tasmanians to get their health information from reputable sources, such as the coronavirus.tas.gov.au website or their GP.

“Disinformation campaigns like this only serve to spread uncertainty and even fear in the community,” he said.

“Let us not forget that this is the most important public immunisation program in living memory.

“While I am alert to the concerns genuinely held by some people about the vaccines, I simply ask them to look at the official sources of information with an open mind.

“Tasmania has largely responded well to the pandemic, but the threat has obviously not passed. Vaccination remains our best shot of protecting ourselves, our loved ones and our community and returning to some form of normality.”