Government sizes up Inpex workers camp site for coronavirus evacuees quarantine area
DEFENCE officials will today assess the Inpex workers’ village at Howard Springs as they face the prospect of having to quarantine ‘literally thousands’ more Australians returning from coronavirus-affected areas
Northern Territory
Don't miss out on the headlines from Northern Territory. Followed categories will be added to My News.
DEFENCE officials will today start assessing the Manigurr-ma worker accommodation village at Howard Springs, about 30km south of Darwin’s CBD, as it faces the prospect of having to quarantine ‘literally thousands” more Australians returning from coronavirus-affected areas in China.
Chief Minister Michael Gunner received a call late Thursday from federal Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton in regards to the site.
NT Government open to housing coronavirus evacuees
“The Home Affairs Minister called me (on Thursday) to discuss the possibility of the Inpex workers’ village as a possible site for quarantining Australians evacuated from China’s Hubei province,” Mr Gunner said.
“Australian Government officials are assessing the site for suitability.
“The Australian Government confirmed that the safety and security of Territorians is a priority, as well as caring for evacuated Australians in need.”
It’s understood Mr Gunner was anxious to confirm with the Australian Government that protocols would be in place to ensure any quarantine area would not risk the safety of Territorians so far unaffected by the coronavirus.
TEST results for all five potential NT cases of coronavirus come back negative
The ADF is expected to assess sites around the nation, including the former Inpex work camp, before the Federal Government makes the final decision.
Mr Gunner said the NT’s Incident Management Team met “regularly to coordinate the NT’s response to the coronavirus outbreak, including standard scenario-planning work”.
The Manigurr-ma village was built by Japanese gas company Inpex in 2012 to house up to 3500 fly-in workers during the construction of its $55 billion LNG plant in Darwin Harbour.
The last Inpex workers moved out of the facility in 2018.
It was gifted to the Northern Territory Government a year later but remains empty.
The 67-hectare site includes a 50-seat cinema, swimming pool, library, outdoor beach volleyball court, cardio and spin room, commercial style gym, 2700m running track, music room, basketball and tennis courts, cricket nets, sports oval, commercial kitchen and dining hall, internet room, tavern and shop.
It also has a medical centre on site. Its 875 accommodation units include 3500 bedrooms with ensuites.
The proposal comes amid concerns the Christmas Island detention centre – which has been holding evacuees since Monday – is almost at capacity.
Another 35 Australians arrived on Christmas Island on Thursday, bringing the number of evacuees in the centre to 276.
NT NEWS special half price subscription deal: Just $3.50 a week*
The government has been drawing up contingency plans for every possible scenario after more than 200 Australians were forced into quarantine on a cruise ship off the Japanese coast.
Mr Dutton said the Government was looking at other options to quarantine those fleeing the coronavirus outbreak, including hotels and mining camps.
“We are worried about what happens if further provinces are shut down, like has happened already in China and whether we face the prospect of trying to assist people to depart literally in the thousands,” he told the ABC on Wednesday.
“So we’re looking at different facilities because we don’t have that number, that capacity on Christmas Island.”
“There are isolated mining camps or hotels that you could take over. But I think we’ll look at all of those in order of what we think is the best response. All of this is in the spirit of preparation.”
The Manigurr-ma workers village is being considered because of its size, its near-new facilities including a medical centre, and the fact no-one would need to be kicked out to accommodate evacuees.
Originally published as Government sizes up Inpex workers camp site for coronavirus evacuees quarantine area