Rob Mills reveals secret heartache after COVID agents turned him away from a friend’s funeral

 Rob Mills was banned from attending the funeral for fellow performer and close friend Michael Falzon in July. 

Despite testing negative for coronavirus days earlier, he claims New South Wales’ COVID agents turned him away.

The former Australian Idol star, 38, has explained how a confusing rule change at the time sent him down a spiral of heartache and sadness.

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Before New South Wales closed its border to Victoria in July, Rob drove from Melbourne to Sydney with a friend to attend Michael’s funeral.

Not requiring to self-isolate at the time, they both voluntarily tested for COVID-19 in Sydney, and received negative results.

Appearing on Ali and Cameron Daddo’s podcast Separate Bathrooms, Rob said: ‘I lost a few friends to cancer (and) couldn’t get to their funerals, had a run in with New South Wales Covid agents up in New South Wales, was told I couldn’t attend a funeral even though I tested negative.’

‘Anyway it was a pretty tough time Cam, for me and your mate Ash Pike. That drive home was pretty sad!’ he said, adding: ‘I got pretty sad for a bit and I found myself not being able to get out of bed.’ 

Rob said he hid his pain and sadness from people at the time. 

In an interview with the ABC in August, Rob said despite testing negative the NSW government had implemented a new rule which blocked him from attending the funeral.  

A new restriction had been put in place after he crossed the border ordering anyone who had entered from Victoria in the past 14 days to self-isolate.

‘I got an email saying under no circumstance are you allowed to go the funeral, even if you are performing at the funeral,’ he said.

‘So my friend and I drove back to Melbourne. We cried a lot.’

However, he told the publication that after returning to Victoria he found out New South Wales had backtracked on its decision, and if he had stayed in Sydney he could have attended Michael’s funeral. 

Rob was able to live stream Michael’s funeral and watch it at home with his partner,  Georgie Tunney, in Melbourne.

‘Thankfully my friend is an exceptional human who has incredible humans around him who had organised a massive streaming service … but I would have loved to share those moments with my friends on stage or together,’ he said.    

Australian performer Michael Falzon died at the age of 48 in June after a year of fighting against a rare form of germ cell cancer.