Family heartbroken as mother forced to choose which of her 11 kids can go to their dad’s funeral

A Victorian family have been left “devastated” by new funeral attendance rules to reduce the spread of COVID-19, which mean they will be forced to choose which children will be able to attend their father’s funeral tomorrow.

Kevin Anderson, a father of 11, died on Sunday and his funeral is scheduled to be held just 12 hours after new coronavirus rules limiting funeral numbers to 10 come into force.

His daughter Carolyn Anderson told 3AW’s Tony Jones, filling in for Neil Mitchell, the news that not all of her siblings will be able to attend the funeral is “heartbreaking”.

“This is just ripping our hearts out when we are already grieving,” she said.

“When we take out the priest and the funeral director my mum has to choose seven of her children to come to my dad’s funeral.”

The family had already heavily restricted the number of funeral attendees, excluding grandchildren and the spouses of family members, and had measured the dimensions of the church to ensure attendees could remain two metres apart.

“To have the rules change on us when we already have a funeral planned and booked and arranged,” Carolyn said.

“The inconsistency is what baffles us.”

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Image: Rights granted exclusively to 3AW by the Anderson family