Federal and NT governments announce new round of worker, business support payments
The Covid-19 cluster impacting two parts of the Territory could take lives by the end of the year, Chief Minister Michael Gunner has warned.
Northern Territory
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UPDATE: TERRITORIANS are being warned to brace for deaths as the Katherine-Robinson River cluster grows to become our biggest since the pandemic began.
There were eight new cases detected on Wednesday, taking the total number in the outbreak to 19.
Speaking on Wednesday, Chief Minister Michael Gunner struck an ominous tone, warning Territorians Covid-19 outbreaks in the Territory could claim lives by the end of the year if people didn’t get vaccinated.
“I fear it will take lives in the Territory before the year is out,” Mr Gunner said.
“Please, please don’t let it be your life. The vaccine is your best defence.”
Among the new infections was a three-week-old baby girl. Five of the new infections on Wednesday were in Robinson River and three were in Katherine.
The Katherine Hospital’s emergency department has emerged as a concern, with five close contact exposure listings on the NT government website spanning four days.
All of the new cases are now being flown to Darwin to stay in the Howard Springs quarantine facility.
One woman remains in a stable condition at the Royal Darwin Hospital. She is receiving oxygen but is not in intensive care.
Reacting to the growing cluster, health authorities are now requiring anyone who has been in Robinson River since November 11 or in Katherine since November 7 to get tested and self-isolate.
Contact tracers had identified 234 close contacts but had only managed to contact and isolate 107 people.
Mr Gunner said Doherty Institute modelling had shown the NT’s health system could manage an outbreak of 30 to 100 cases a day with high vaccination rates.
EARLIER: BUSINESSES and workers impacted by lockdowns in two regions of the Northern Territory have been made eligible for Covid-19 disaster payments.
Lockdown-affected workers in Katherine and Robinson River will be eligible for Covid-19 disaster relief through Centrelink, NT Senator Sam McMahon said.
“If you’re in a declared hotspot area and your work or income is impacted, then you’ll be eligible for payment,” Ms McMahon said.
“Those eligible will receive $750 per week if they have lost 20 or more hours of work, and $450 per week if they have lost between eight and less than 20 hours of work, or the equivalent of a full day of work.”
The NT government also unveiled a fourth round of $1000 payments to businesses affected by lockdown.
Businesses in Katherine and Robinson River which have turnover between $75,000 and $10m, and have less than 20 full-time-equivalent staff, can apply if they have lost over half their income.
Small Business Minister Paul Kirby said the payments would provide immediate relief. “While this situation continues to evolve we will keep talking with industry to determine the best ways to support small businesses,” he said.
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