Michael Gunner says government exploring removing QR codes, mask mandate

The government is considering removing two of the Territory’s most contentious Covid rules.

THE NT government is in discussions about scrapping the Territory-wide indoor mask mandate and QR code check-ins.

Chief Minister Michael Gunner said on ABC Darwin the government was considering removing these measures.

“We are actively discussing basically moving on from indoor mask mandates,” he said.

“There’s an active conversation, I can’t give you a date yet but it’d be sooner rather than later.

“The check-in app, we’re more likely to do a two-step approach which is the check-in app will reduce to the vax pass location before you then move on. The check-in app is the easiest way of essentially monitoring the vax pass and one reason why we were able to make our changes at the border was knowing the vax pass was in place and you had to be double dosed to get in anyway.”

No commitment to easing restrictions

THE Northern Territory government won’t commit to easing Covid restrictions despite NSW and Victoria lifting QR code check-ins and other measures on Thursday.

Victorian Premier Dan Andrews announced yesterday density limits in Victorian hospitality venues and QR code check-ins at shops and schools will be dumped from Friday.

In NSW, Premier Dom Perrottet will scrap mask mandates and QR codes from Friday week and singing and dancing will be permitted this week.

Hospitality NT has once again called on the NT Government to scrap measures that hit businesses while doing little to prevent infection. Chief executive Alex Bruce said it’s time to move on.

“We should call time on all mandates including check-in, masks, QR codes and passports and get back to trusting Territorians and focusing resources on the vulnerable,”

Deputy Chief Minister Nicole Manison would not commit to changing the current mandate regimen.

“We meet as a security emergency management committee of the cabinet regularly. we get our latest briefings from the Chief Health Officer and we take those into account in the decisions that we make.

“It’s important to note that we also have business representation in there through the head of the Department of Industry, Tourism and Trade sits there as part of the section too because we do not just keep a health focus, we also have an economic focus in there as well so business consideration is something that we get.

“We have been going through the peak of Covid. These public health safety measures are important measures to slow the spread of Covid because what this is all about is making sure we have the hospital capacity to deal with those who get really sick to make sure that if somebody requires the ICU or somebody requires hospitalisation that we have a bed for them and we can care for them.

“That’s been our strategy to reduce and slow the spread and that’s why we’ve had measures like mass mandates and using the check-in app, just to help make sure we reduce that spread.”