Howard Springs facility to quarantine returning Aussies from UK, India after repatriation flights
CHIEF Minister Michael Gunner’s face-to-face meeting in Sydney with Scott Morrison to discuss the repatriation of stranded Aussies to Howard Springs will go ahead — despite the PM’s plane being grounded in Queensland last night
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CHIEF Minister Michael Gunner’s face-to-face meeting in Sydney with Scott Morrison to discuss the repatriation of stranded Aussies to Howard Springs will go ahead — despite the Prime Minister’s plane being grounded in Queensland last night.
The meeting in New South Wales is Mr Gunner’s first trip out of the Northern Territory since coronavirus took a stronghold on the nation in March.
The pair will meet to finalise in-depth discussions that began a month ago to repatriate almost 2000 people from London and Delhi to Australia.
The NT News exclusively revealed online yesterday that eight repatriation flights were expected to fly into Darwin in coming weeks.
Two of those are expected to arrive within the next fortnight.
Qantas staff were told four 787 Dreamliner aircraft would fly Australian expats home from London, and another four 787s would return people from Delhi.
Departing Darwin airport just after lunchtime yesterday, Mr Gunner said he intended to sort out some remaining issues surrounding the repatriation flights with Mr Morrison in person.
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“We’ve still got a few final details to nut out, which is why I’m heading down to Sydney,” he said. “We’ll have more to say, obviously.”
Despite Qantas staff being told about the arrangement on Thursday, Mr Gunner refused to say a deal had been locked in.
“We’ve had excellent conversations,” he said.
Mr Gunner would not go into specifics about what the NT needed in terms of resources from Canberra, but said the two governments had previously worked well together for quarantining travellers from Wuhan and the Diamond Princess cruise ship at Howard Springs.
His office told the NT News the NT government had always been open to Australians returning home via NT quarantine, but this had not been happening due to a lack of commercial flights.
It is understood discussion about the new repatriation plans began in earnest between the Prime Minister’s office, Qantas and the NT government about a month ago. While the plans have not been completely finalised yet, it’s understood flight dates and numbers will likely be confirmed today.
All eight flights are expected to fly directly to Darwin, with evacuees to quarantine at Howard Springs for 14 days.
It’s not known who will treat evacuees if they test positive for coronavirus. Previous repatriated expats who have tested positive have been flown to their home states for treatment, and added to those states’ coronavirus tallies.
Under current arrangements for domestic quarantine at Howard Springs, individuals pay $2500 each and families of two or more pay $5000.
It is not yet known who will pay for the Qantas flights, though it is understood the Australian government may be subsidising them.
Of the 38,200 Australians who have registered their presence overseas, 29,100 have told the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) they want to come home.
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The Prime Minister’s office on Thursday referred all questions to Foreign Minister Marise Payne.
Her office did not respond by deadline.
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