AMA push for NT to hold off on opening up to Victoria

THE Territory should hold off on plans to open its borders to regional Victoria, the NT’s peak medical body has advised

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THE Territory should hold off on plans to open its borders to regional Victoria next Monday with the “ring of steel” separating Melbourne and regional Victoria lifting soon, the NT’s peak medical body has advised.

Australian Medical Association NT branch president Dr Rob Parker says he disagrees with the Chief Minster’s decision to plough ahead with plans to allow all regional Victorian residents, except for Mitchell Shire, to arrive in the Territory without quarantine from next Monday.

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It comes after Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said the travel restrictions separating Melbourne from regional Victoria — known as the “ring of steel” — would be lifted at 11.59pm on November 8.

Dr Parker said the NT should ideally wait another two weeks to see if any COVID-19 outbreaks surface in regional Victoria once Melburnians resume travel there.

“We should wait to see how Victoria’s eased restrictions pan out, we know all it takes is one super spreader to spark another outbreak,” he said.

“Not taking proper precautions could have potentially fatal consequences.”

Australian Medical Association NT branch president Rob Park. Picture: KERI MEGELUS

But Chief Minister Michael Gunner told the NT News yesterday there was no health advice to change their plans to remove the hot spot declaration on regional Victoria.

“If we have to put hot spots back on, we will not hesitate to act,” he said. “But all the news coming from Victoria right now is good news.”

It comes after Victoria recorded two days of zero new coronavirus cases yesterday.

Mr Gunner previously said Victoria’s “ring of steel” was one of the main reasons health authorities felt confident the NT could open up to regional Victoria next Monday.

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“Obviously as Melbourne continues to get safer and safer, we would expect the Victorian government to consider lifting or altering that ring of steel in the coming weeks,” he said.

“At our meeting this morning, we discussed what this could mean for our assessment of regional Victoria – whether or not that would increase the risk down the track.

“Right now, we aren’t worried – but it is something we will have to monitor, if and when that ring of steel does come down.”