The Northern Territory news Thu 16 Jul 2020
NT news
The Northern Territory news; NewspaperNT
2020-07-16
English
Community newspapers -- Northern Territory -- Darwin.; Australian newspapers -- Northern Territory -- Darwin.
News Corp Australia
Darwin
application\pdf
Copyright. Made available by the publisher under licence.
News Corp Australia
https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2019C00042
https://hdl.handle.net/10070/805874
https://hdl.handle.net/10070/806638
THURSDAY JULY 16 2020 NEWS 07 V1 - NTNE01Z01MA MORE than 11 million Australians have been effectively locked out of the Northern Territory despite the reopening of borders at 12.01am tomorrow, unless they are willing to spend $2500 on a two-week stay at a disused workers camp. The 31 local government areas of greater metropolitan Sydney have been declared coronavirus hotspots by NT authorities, thus barring anyone who has been in those places in the past 14 days from coming to the Territory without going into 14-day mandatory quarantine at Darwins Howard Springs or Alice Springs Ross facility at their own expense. Restrictions on NSW came as the number of cases linked to Sydneys Crossroads Hotel coronavirus cluster grew to 34. Health authorities have confirmed that cluster is likely linked to a Melbourne man. Anyone from a hotspot who has arrived in the NT before borders open at 12.01am tomorrow must stay in self-isolation for the full 14 days. Greater metropolitan Sydneys 4.85 million residents and Victorias 6.28 million people are affected by the NTs current hotspot rules, with Chief Minister Michael Gunner warning there will be more to come if needed. I must be frank here, giving two days notice of a decision is not a luxury that will be afforded in the future, he said. In the future, we will declare a hotspot as soon as we need to, and you could be left stranded if youre not in the Territory. Territorians are advised not to leave the jurisdiction unless they have to. The new hotspot declarations will be in place indefinitely but unlike Victoria, those in NSW will be reviewed in two weeks. This situation in Sydney has the potential to get Do right thing and do not blow this Idiots urged not to visit MADURA MCCORMACK Political Reporter worse before it gets better, and we need to assume that it will get worse, Mr Gunner said. To open our borders to Sydney right now, when we dont know the full extent of this cluster, would be a roll of the dice. The new hotspot declarations came with details about how coronavirus safety would be bolstered for Territorians, including the possible introduction of harsher penalties for idiots that breach the Chief Health Officers orders and stationing cops at border entry points, including airports, until further notice. Exemptions for interstate freight and logistics workers will also be limited and stricter protocols put in place. Those workers will also be subject to targeted coronavirus testing. Chief Health Officer Hugh Heggie said critical freight, like medical supplies and groceries, would continue to be allowed in to ensure the NT was stocked but other non-essential freight, like a new gear box for a car, could be delayed. Mr Gunner said it was not a matter of if coronavirus returned to the NT but when. Following revelations from Victoria that people had been fined for breaching COVID-19 rules through refusing to leave KFC restaurants, playing Pokmon Go and poker in groups, and hiding in garages and closets, Dr Heggie warned Territorians needed to act responsibly to keep coronavirus at bay. Of course, some people dont seem to think that the financial penalty is worrisome for them, he said. I would ask them, if their behaviour contributed to a single death in the Territory, how would the Territory feel about that behaviour. The virus does not follow any rules this has to be a partnership with the community. There were 251 new cases of COVID-19 nationwide yesterday, including 238 in Victoria. Victorian travellers to jet in FIVE direct flights from coronavirus-riddled Melbourne will land in Darwin despite the Victorian city being in lockdown, with the first due to touch down in the Top End tomorrow afternoon. Chief Minister Michael Gunner said the government was working directly with Jetstar to make sure travellers were aware of NTs rules before they boarded the plane, with Territory authorities also getting advice from Queensland on how it was keeping infected Victorians and other risky travellers from slipping through its borders. There is a large chance that many of those passengers are connecting in from Adelaide or other places and doing that straight travel through and that airport is where they are choosing to get on that flight, he said. A Sydney flight via Alice Springs landed in Darwin yesterday, with a direct flight from Sydney and another via Alice Springs due to land at the airport today. NT Airports said all passengers who had moved through a COVID-19 de clared hotspot would be directed to a separate area to pick up their bags and taken via bus to a quarantine facility from tomorrow. From tomorrow, it will be mandatory for airport staff and contractors to wear masks inside the airport and extra security guards will be rostered on to facilitate the screening process. Only people with a boarding pass will be allowed in to arrival and departure lounges at Alice Springs Airport, with the measure to be policed by security guards. Passengers may experience some delays, a spokesman said. Travellers arrive at Darwin International Airport in April. Picture: GLENN CAMPBELL All people travelling to the Northern Territory must complete the arrival border crossing application. If you are intending to travel to the Northern Territory from an identified coronavirus hot spot you are advised to cancel your plans. Likewise if you are a Territorian intending to travel to a hotspot you are advised to cancel your plans. If you previously held an exemption to travel from a hotspot this is revoked effective immediately. From 17 July anyone arriving into the Northern Territory from or through a declared hotspot in the last 14 days must undertake 14 days mandatory supervised quarantine. This will be at your own cost. The cost per person for supervised quarantine is $2500. Mandatory supervised quarantine will be at the Howard Springs quarantine facility or another approved facility elsewhere in the Northern Territory. Other important information: People in supervised quarantine will be subject to testing before exiting quarantine. If you refuse a test, there will be 10 days added to your quarantine time. If youre found to have provided misleading information on your arrival form you could face a fine of $1106 for an individual, $5530 for a business and a possible prison term of up to 3 years. There will be no travel exemptions given to people from hotspot areas. Hot spot areas may be added prior to 17 July, depending on the health advice. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE ENTERING THE NT GREATER SYDNEY AREA + BLUE MOUNTAINS** VICTORIA** WESTERN AUSTRALIA NORTHERN TERRITORY QUEENSLAND NEW SOUTH WALES & ACT TASMANIA SOUTH AUSTRALIA BORDERS OPEN 12.01am FRIDAY **Victoria and Greater Sydney (including the Blue Mountains area) must enter mandatory quarantine for 14 days from 12.01am Friday * Can enter the NT from 12.01am Friday * Can enter the NT from 12.01am Friday * Can enter the NT from 12.01am Friday * Can enter the NT from 12.01am Friday * Can enter the NT from 12.01am Friday Check individual states for their border restrictions