Get smart on NT border restrictions: Hostel boss

DARWIN backpacker hostel manager Peter Bartlett wants the NT’s borders open as soon as possible to help his struggling business.

Peter Bartlett from Down Under Hostels has struggled through the border restrictions. Picture: Che Chorley

• Chief Minister finally hints at NT borders reopening date

A DARWIN backpacker hostel manager wants the NT’s borders open as soon as possible to help his struggling business.

However, Down Under Hostels manager Peter Bartlett also said a second wave of COVID-19 in the Territory would be the “worst case scenario”.

Mr Bartlett said the hostel had been operating on occupancy rates as low as 38 per cent and about half of the staff members had to be let go after the borders closed.

“It’s been a rough couple of months,” he said.

“It’s starting to pick up a bit but it’s been really slow here.”

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Mr Bartlett said “from a purely business point of view” he would like to see the borders open “tomorrow”.

“We know we’ve got a lot of people in Sydney and Melbourne who want to head up here. The weather down there is less than 10 degrees,” Mr Bartlett said.

“(But), obviously from a health point of view … Sydney and NSW are still not doing that great with it (COVID-19).

“The last thing we want is people coming up here and making it worse and everything having to go back down into lockdown. That’s the worst case scenario.”

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Mr Bartlett supports a tri-state bubble with WA and SA to get more people coming through the hostel.

“I personally think it’s a good idea,” he said.

“I think it would be smart, especially when you’ve got Adelaide and people from there might want to come up here.”