Interstate workers, some from Victoria, avoid NT COVID-19 quarantine for gas pipeline job

INTERSTATE workers, some from Victoria, have been flown into the Territory without having to go through government-supervised COVID-19 quarantine for a gas pipeline job

Interstate workers, some from Victoria, have been flown into the Territory without having to go through government-supervised quarantine to work on a gas pipeline

THE operators of the $800 million Northern Gas Pipeline say Tennant Creek locals have nothing to fear from 14 interstate workers flown in to carry out urgent on-site repairs.

Jemena’s executive general manager of gas markets Antoon Boey said the company had a comprehensive COVID-19 safety plan, which had to be approved by the Northern Territory government.

Because of the urgency of the repair work on the pipeline the 14 interstate workers, some from Victoria, were given a special exemption, which allowed them to avoid government-supervised quarantine.

The company said work was originally planned for March this year, but was delayed as long as it could because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

It said it could wait no longer to begin repairs.

Applications for alternative arrangements to the 14-day quarantine period are considered on a case-by-case basis.

Mr Boey said Jemena’s COVID-19 safety plan included isolated accommodation, catering and transportation.

He said all the required local authorities in Tennant Creek were aware of the plan and none of the interstate workers would have any interaction with Territory-based staff.

The majority of the interstate workers were coming from Queensland.

Mr Boey said the pipeline was experiencing technical ­issues and repairs could not be delayed until after COVID-19 restrictions were completely lifted.

The Northern Territory Public Information Group said the Chief Health Officer considered applications for alternative arrangements to the 14-day quarantine period, which could be granted in exceptional circumstances.

The Northern Gas Pipeline spans 622km, between Tennant Creek in the Northern Territory and Mount Isa in Queensland.

OFFER EXTENDED: Read everything on from the NT News for just $1

Jemena commissioned the pipeline in 2019 and first commercial operations began on January 3.

Last year it won the Significant Investment Award at the national Australian Export Awards.