Organisers of vigils protesting the seventh anniversary of indefinite detention of refugees and asylum seekers have defended the need to hold the event during a second wave of coronavirus in Victoria.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The Albury event was preceded by a virtual church service led by Father Peter Macleod-Miller focused in part on the off-shore detention centres and the Yackandandah attendees wore face masks and observed the 1.5m social distancing rules.
"It is about the anniversary and it does need to stay in the public arena," Rural Australians for Refugees Albury chapter leader Penny Vine said.
"We are talking about those hidden away, out of sight, out of mind, no personality, no individuality, classic abuse of power type behavior situations.
"Okay, there is this major need to be thinking about which is COVID-19, but it is not the only thing."
Mrs Vine said the small turnout was attributed to Wodonga-based members being reluctant to cross the border.
IN OTHER NEWS:
Father MacLeod-Miller said more than 100 people took part in the virtual church service including Wiradjuri leader Liz Heta, Albury deputy mayor Amanda Cohn and former member for Indi, Cathy McGowan.
He said the COVID-19 crisis was a chance for governments to re-assess its need for off-shore detention.
"The covid stuff is an opportunity for them to change," he said.
"They changed so many of their policies for the better because of covid.
"Everybody would understand why they would change this."
Yackandandah organiser Clare Cunnnington said participants at the two events in town were acutely aware of the COVID-19 situation.
"We wanted to make absolutely sure we weren't doing anything that was going to pass covid on," she said.
"We did discuss it a lot as a group and we were very conscious no one did anything they were uncomfortable with and it is why we kept it so small and so spaced out."
Member for Indi Helen Haines supported the events going ahead on the proviso the presently restrictions on public gatherings were adhered to.
"Provided people follow those then they are within the law," she said.
"We are allowed to have in regional Victoria public gatherings of 10 people being 1.5m apart.
"I don't think there is too much to be concerned about with this."
