Secret plans to allow Adelaide international students to quarantine at Howard Springs facility near Darwin

Overseas students would serve COVID-19 quarantine in a facility near Darwin, a leaked plan to revive their SA studies shows.

International students would serve mandatory coronavirus quarantine at a major Northern Territory facility under official proposals to revive their South Australian studies.

Leaked government documents show the COVID-19 Transition Committee has considered over the past four months plans for students to serve 14 days isolation at the Howard Springs national quarantine facility, on Darwin’s southern outskirts.

The proposal, which has never been publicly disclosed, is among several options under investigation to kickstart the $2bn international education sector.

A dedicated Adelaide facility, believed to be in the heart of the CBD, is also being considered as are travel bubbles including with Singapore.

The details emerged as a traveller, in his 40s, was recovering in the Royal Adelaide Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit.

After being in a critical condition on a respirator in an induced coma for a fortnight, he is now listed in a stable condition in ICU.

He is the state’s first ICU case in 10 months.

SA Health also reported four new cases on Saturday, including two male and female relatives, aged in their 60s. Another two women, in their 30s, and 60s, are also ill.

They are among 13 active, or infectious patients out of the state’s 682 cases.

The committee’s confidential minutes, obtained by the Sunday Mail, show chief public health officer Professor Nicola Spurrier briefed officials on December 4 about the Howard Springs proposal.

This occurred as she was getting on top of the state’s worst outbreak, the Parafield Cluster, during which a trial to fly up to 300 international students back to Adelaide was suspended.

It was due to resume in early 2021.

“(Prof Spurrier) provided an update … including an indicative agreement from the medical director of the facility that South Australian international students may be able to quarantine at that facility to return to study,” the minutes state.

Almost a month later, Department Trade and Investment chief executive Leonie Muldoon told the committee her agency would be “interested in exploring whether any capacity not used by citizens / residents could be used to bring back international students”.

“ (Ms Muldoon) also advised that universities have received advice on major cost difference between quarantine in SA as opposed to Howard Springs (NT),” it said.

It also noted that Professor Spurrier was “supportive of students quarantining in the NT prior to arriving in SA, noting this could well be the only option at present”.

Thousands of international students can’t return to SA, or other states to resume their studies after borders to shut during the pandemic, threatening Australia’s $40bn international education sector.

International students have been prevented from returning to studies in Australia due to the Pandemic. Picture: Darwin University / AFP

The documents show the committee first reported on July 28 last year Commonwealth Government talks on an international student plan.

“The committee noted that a proposal will be provided to the Premier soon,” the minutes state.

At its August 7 meeting, a week after the Thebarton cluster erupted, the committee reported that the Commonwealth Government had considered a proposal and that “was in progress”.

The state’s international borders continued to dominate debate and its impact on the medi-hotel program amid fears foreign travel was at least a year away.

A few weeks later, at its August 21 meeting, officials were given “positive economic indicators” but 30,000 people remained unemployed.

“As many of these jobs were in tourism, the arts and hospitality, the situation may not improve significantly until international borders open which might not be for 12 months,” the minutes state.

The next month, on September 1, SA Health updated the committee on hotel quarantine capacity, which had 1000 beds for up to 1300 guests across four “large” hotels.

“SA Health will provide the Premier further evidence about bed capacity to support the international student bid,” officials concluded.

A government spokesman said officials were “currently working with educational institutions and universities to examine a range of solutions that may facilitate the COVID-safe return of international students”.

“As part of these investigations, a number of student accommodation facilities are being assessed for their suitability for quarantining returning students,” he said.

“Any facilities deemed suitable will need to meet strict quarantine requirements.

“The State Government is committed to working with the sector to provide a viable and safe pathway for international students to return.”

Both the State and Federal Governments have emphasised they will prioritise returning Australians ahead of international students on flights and in hotel quarantine.

An NT govermment spokeswoman said any proposal must meet Australian requirements.

“Currently, the Northern Territory Government is focussing on the agreement with the Australian Government to bring home overseas Australians,” she said.

“(It) is working on all aspects of the expansion at the Howard Springs Quarantine Facility to provide for some 2,000 people per fortnight arriving on the international repatriation flights.”