Gunner vows not to open borders early despite pressure, saying ‘southerners’ remain a coronavirus threat to the Territory

THE threat from coronavirus-riddled ‘southerners’ grows larger the more restrictions are eased in those states, Chief Minister Michael Gunner has warned, pledging he will not bow to pressure to relax the borders early.

Chief Minister Michael Gunner with NT Police Commissioner Jamie Chalker (right) yesterday checking on the NT’s border controls. Picture: Supplied

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THE threat from coronavirus-riddled “southerners” grows larger the more restrictions are eased in those states, Chief Minister Michael Gunner has warned, pledging he will not bow to pressure to relax the borders early.

Despite growing calls from the business community, Mr Gunner has refused to say when the NT’s borders will reopen, only committing to updating Territorians about what will happen next at the end of each month.

His greatest fear is community transmission, present in NSW and Victoria, and the threat of the dreaded “second wave” of COVID-19 infections.

He confirmed external borders would remain shut throughout June.

“I know some people want me to open the borders sooner than it is safe to do so, but it’s not going to happen,” Mr Gunner said.

“It cannot happen. I am not risking a second wave. I am not risking Territory lives.”

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Chief Minister Michael Gunner with NT Police Constable Clinton Richardson (left) and Commissioner Jamie Chalker (right) yesterday checking on the NT’s border controls. Picture: Supplied

The chief’s firm stance, in line with leaders in other closed states like Queensland and Western Australia, came as Australia’s deputy chief medical officer said there was no medical justification for borders to stay closed.

Mr Gunner maintained it was his job to make the decisions, even when “people don’t like them”.

He said the NT, which had just one active case of COVID-19 left as of yesterday afternoon, would open up to the other states when they were “no longer a threat”.

“I’ll have more to say on that in the next few weeks,” Mr Gunner said.

“If you think I’m going to risk everything we’ve done by relaxing the borders too early, you’ve got another thing coming. I am not going to back down.”

It appears the loudest voices to resume interstate travel remain in the south.

When the NT’s two chief minister hopefuls were asked what they would do if they were in charge, both opted for caution.

Local councils, including in Katherine, Barkly, and Alice Springs, also confirmed they were in support of the borders staying shut.

Opposition Leader Lia Finocchiaro said the Chief Minister needed to ditch the “closed shop approach” and provide a border reopening road map, as he had done for the restriction rollbacks thus far.

“I would be open with Territorians about the decision-making process and what steps will lead us to reopening the borders,” she said.

Territory Alliance leader Terry Mills said “caution is required”, though he would lean on the side of “managed opening” of external borders as soon as reasonably possible.

“All health protocols however should remain in place with a particular emphasis on remote locations to protect from unchecked exposure,” he said.

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Katherine Regional Council Mayor Fay Miller, alongside East Arnhem Regional Council’s chief executive Dale Keehne and Alice Springs Regional Council Mayor Steve Edgington, supported keeping the borders shut until it was safe.