Chief Minister Michael Gunner reveals when NT eateries, pubs and bars could reopen

CHIEF Minister Michael Gunner has for the first time revealed when Territorians could be able to go out to restaurants, bars, pubs and cafes again.

Restaurants, bars and cafes in the Territory could be open by October, Chief Minister Michael Gunner has said, in the first time he has outlined a tentative end date for tough coronavirus restrictions. Picture: Che Chorley

RESTAURANTS, bars and cafes in the Territory could be reopened “through the dry season”, Chief Minister Michael Gunner has said, in the first time he has outlined a tentative end date for tough coronavirus restrictions.

Mr Gunner has been hesitant to provide a timeline for when coronavirus lockdown measures could be lifted, despite there not being a single new positive case of the virus in the NT in more than a fortnight.

But in an interview with ABC News on Thursday night, Mr Gunner told Eleni Roussos he believed restaurants and cafes would “come online” through the Territory’s dry season, which runs from May to October.

He declined to outline which restrictions would be lifted first, including when national parks would reopen, but was firm on one element.

“The last thing we will touch is the borders,” Mr Gunner said.

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Lockdown in the Top End will be done on “Territory Time” he said, and in a safe way.

Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy, during a senate hearing on Thursday, flagged that he believed community sport and some small gatherings would be permitted first.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison and state and territory leaders, including Mr Gunner, have repeatedly said how Australia comes out of coronavirus lockdown is being worked through, with details likely to be released in mid May.

So far the NT Government, bearing $8 billion in debt before the pandemic, has spent nearly $400 million on stimulus measures.

This includes $100 million on the staggeringly popular home improvement scheme, which had to be more than trebled from its initial $30 million after NT homeowners flooded the scheme with nearly 20,000 applications.

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Mr Gunner refused to say how the government would pay for its stimulus packages, insisting governments could work to repair their budgets and it was more important to save local business and local jobs.

Territorians won’t know the state of the government’s books before the August 22 election, but Mr Gunner said there was no way a budget could be drawn up when jurisdictions across the country were yet to realise the full financial impact of COVID-19.

NT Parliament will sit on Friday for the first time since March to pass emergency coronavirus related legislation including increased protections for renters in strife, and tougher penalties for grubs who maliciously spit on virus frontline workers.