Northern Territory to ease border restrictions with regional Victoria

The Northern Territory Government has announced when it will revoke its coronavirus hot-spot declaration for regional Victoria.

People living in regional Victoria could be able to travel to the Northern Territory without undergoing mandatory quarantine from next month.

The NT Government announced on Monday it was set to revoke its coronavirus hot-spot declaration for most of the state from November 2.

Chief Minister Michael Gunner said all but four council areas in regional Victoria would be struck from the hot-spot list, as it currently had zero mystery cases and its rolling average had fallen to 0.3 – or “next to nothing”.

“All the numbers basically amount to this – regional Victoria has crushed the coronavirus,” Mr Gunner said.

“The critical factor for making this decision is regional Victoria’s success in easing their restrictions without spreading the virus.

Chief Minister Michael Gunner said Territorians should not fear the arrival of regional Victorians. Picture: Katrina Bridgeford.

“They are stepping out of lockdown while still staying safe.”

The four areas to remain on the watch list are Greater Geelong, the Macedon Ranges, Mitchell Shire and East Gippsland Shire, as they have all recorded at least one positive case in the last fortnight.

However, Mr Gunner said those areas could be also be removed as declared hot spots by November 2 if they continue to suppress new cases.

“That’s likely to happen but it’s not something we are confirming today,” he said.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews announced on Monday that a new case had been diagnosed in the regional city of Shepparton, located in a council area set to be wiped from the NT’s hot-spot register.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said Melbourne’s rolling average was now 11.6. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Daniel Pockett

Mr Andrews said there was now four actives cases across regional Victoria, adding that there could be a need to expand the state’s testing program across non-metropolitan areas.

Metropolitan Melbourne will remain a declared hot spot for the foreseeable future despite Mr Gunner remarking it appeared the city was on the “cusp” of crushing its deadly second wave.

There were nine new cases diagnosed in Victoria on Sunday, while Melbourne’s rolling case average now sits at 11.6.

Mr Gunner tried to allay any fears from Territorians worried about letting Victorians past the NT’s strict quarantine controls, saying police would still be patrolling borders and airports to vet all arrivals.

“It’s not today, it’s not tomorrow, it’s four weeks and it’s only if they keep progressing well,” he said.

But he said his advice for locals wanting to travel interstate had not changed: “Think twice about it, think hard about it. Don’t travel if you don’t need to, and stay safe if you do.”