The family of an eight-year-boy who drowned while on school camp has failed to gain a Victorian government lockdown exemption for his funeral.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Cooper Onyett drowned at a Port Fairy indoor swimming pool last week while on school camp with his year two class from Merrivale Primary School.
His family had planned to hold his funeral in their hometown of Warrnambool, 250km west of Melbourne, on Friday.
Under the seven-day lockdown restrictions, funerals are restricted to 10 mourners, plus those required to conduct the service.
Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton confirmed health department staff had spoken to the Onyett family, but their request had been declined.
IN OTHER NEWS
"I think these are the most difficult decisions for the exemptions team to make and it'll be weighing extremely heavily on them," Prof Sutton told reporters on Friday.
"This is the most tragic circumstance. I can't express enough my sorrow for the family."
Prof Sutton said he did not have a say in the decision and did not know why the request had been declined, but "equity issues" for others holding funerals during lockdown would have been a consideration.
Acting Premier James Merlino also expressed his condolences.
"This is an awfully, awfully tragic case, every parent's worst nightmare," he said.
On Thursday, Cooper's mother Skye Meinen said she was "shocked and angered" by the restrictions on regional Victoria, where there have been no positive cases of COVID-19.
"We really need support tomorrow from family and friends to get us through this," she said.
"We've all been so strong ... it would be detrimental to rip away the support that we've all welcomed and needed."
Ms Meinen said she was open to holding the funeral outdoors with masks to allow for more mourners.
A GoFundMe page set up to help the family cover Cooper's funeral costs has already raised more than $95,000.
If you are seeing this message you are a loyal digital subscriber to The Courier, as we made this story available only to subscribers. Thank you very much for your support and allowing us to continue telling Ballarat's story. We appreciate your support of journalism in our great city.
