COVID-19 | Plea to Premier to save formals for Orange schools

Orange mayor Reg Kidd and City Council CEO David Waddell will write to Premier Gladys Berejiklian and the health and education ministers to try to save the event for regional students.

Orange City Council agreed to the request at its meeting on Tuesday night.

Concerns over the events spreading the risk of coronavirus led the state government to introduce the ban.

But, with no cases in Orange, councillors said the infection risk would be low.

Cr Kidd said the events would be limited to students, teachers and maybe parents in a school hall.

"It's such an important part of your life," he said.

He said more-public events, including photo sessions in Cook Park as had happened in previous years, could not go ahead

Cr Kevin Duffy said the COVID-19 infections had been 'brought' to Orange by people from other areas.

"I feel a bit sorry for the students who can't have a graduation," he said.

He said the formals should go ahead with restrictions.

"It is only local people involved. It is something well worth supporting our young in that situation because they are little bit deprived especially when they can understand the fact the COVID-19 is not out here and produced out here, it's brought to us," he said.

Cr Jason Hamling said there was little social distancing happening at schools.

He said only teachers and students should be able to attend the formals to minimise the risk of infection.

However, Cr Joanne McRae said some parents had told her the formals were expensive, particularly when many were not working or earning as much as in pre-COVID times.

"They feel there is a lot less pressure on them with the removal of the formals," she said.

"That's the economic pressure that it puts on families for the fanciest dress and the hair and makeup for the girls and the suit hire or the new gear for the guys.

"I would also have concerns about the sudden influx of Sydney dress merchants and suit hire places who are going to come and open pop-up shops to try to hit the market of western NSW who are going to be trying to spend their money, if they have it."