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Two of the largest local Anzac Day services, which each attract 1000-2000 people, will not be held this year at the Hibiscus Coast Community RSA.
As well as the dawn and 11am services at the RSA in Vipond Road, the smaller service held at the cenotaph in Silverdale War Memorial Park (also run by the RSA) has been cancelled too.
Instead, the organisation will hold a service for veterans, service personnel and their families only.
The Vipond Road Anzac Parade has run for more than 30 years, apart from 2020 when it was cancelled because of the Covid-19 lockdown.
Hibiscus Coast Community RSA president David Dryden says he understands that veterans and the community will be disappointed at the decision, which the committee made earlier this month.
However, he says everyone appreciates that protection from Covid-19, especially for veterans, is paramount. The Hibiscus Coast Community RSA has around 350 returned and service members, 29 of whom are over 90 years old.
“My priority was to have a parade that is safe and as close to normal as possible for the veterans,” he says. “And that’s what we’re doing for them.”
In making the decision, there were a number of other issues to consider. A key aspect was the sale of a significant portion of the RSA’s land to a developer for housing. Earthworks are currently taking place on the site around the flagpole where the Anzac service is normally held.
Although this has since changed, with the Government’s move to the Orange traffic light setting, at the time the decision was made there was a limit of 200 people inside the clubrooms, where refreshments are provided after the service.
Another factor was restrictions on the support that can be given by the NZ Defence Force (which normally includes marching with veterans, and speeches). Last week the NZ Defence Force amended its earlier advice that personnel and officers should not attend Anzac services to restrict the spread of Omicron from young personnel (who may not be showing symptoms) to older veterans. The latest advice, which came after Government changed its Covid-19 health settings, allow Defence Force personnel to attend services but they must remain masked, not attend after-functions and not march in a mixed platoon with veterans.
In a statement, Chief of Defence Force, Air Marshal Kevin Short, says they are committed to marking Anzac Day and paying respects to the fallen.
“We will do so in a way that respects our vulnerable veterans, and also ensures we remain ready to serve when called,” he says.
Another factor Dryden considered was the threat of disruption by anti-mandate protestors.
“Everyone has the right to protest, but we took this threat into consideration when doing our risk assessment,” Dryden says. “When it comes to caring for the veterans, we must err on the side of caution.”
A big part of the community Anzac Parades is involvement from community groups, schools, Fire and Emergency, Police, St John, Air Cadets and local politicians who attend, provide support and lay wreaths.
The Air Cadets and emergency service representatives may be able to attend the private service in some capacity. The schools are each finding a way to mark the occasion. Whangaparāoa College will have a full school assembly with guests from the RSA and Whangaparāoa Primary is planning its own
Whangaparāoa Primary and Community Service which will be led by students and is likely to be held in the second week of Term 2.
Whangaparāoa MP Mark Mitchell is among those who lay wreaths at the Vipond Road service. He respects the decision of the organisers because of the risks they perceive around the public service but is hugely disappointed for the community.
“Those services grow each year and it is a significant and important chance for the community to pay its respects,” Mitchell says.
Dryden says all things being equal, he hopes that the RSA can provide an even bigger dawn and 11am service next year, as well as the one at Silverdale War Memorial. He says in future, the Vipond Road service is likely to be based around the cenotaph outside the clubrooms, which has room in adjacent carparks for the public to watch the parade.
