Ben Fordham is calling on the state government to allow people to visit the grave of a loved one during lockdown.

Families wanting to pay their respects at the graves of loved ones are being turned away from Rookwood Cemetery.

Funerals are permitted with 10 people in attendance but visiting a grave is not considered an essential reason to leave home.

Rookwood Cemetery has hired security guards to turn people away, with police patrolling the area.

“We just can’t believe this,” Ben said.

Angelique Jasli lives near the cemetery and has started a petition, ‘Open Rookwood Cemetery For Visits’.

“There is a lot of grief people are dealing with and having that situation is only making it worse,” she told Ben.

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Listener Michael visits his three-year-old son’s grave every day since his tragic death a couple of years ago.

But the ban on visiting Rookwood cemetery has left his family distraught.

“I’ve got his birthday coming up and I don’t want to miss it.”

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NSW One Nation Leader Mark Latham told Ben the health orders need to be changed.

“We’re trying to preserve life by telling people to stop living.

“We can’t become a barbaric society.”

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Image: Getty