Howard Springs recruitment pace ‘concerning’: AMA NT president
The opposition has slammed the decision for the NT Government to take over Howard Springs next month as ‘foolish’, as the facility grapples with a spike in COVID-19 cases mainly from India.
Northern Territory
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- NT’s active COVID case tally hits 21 with three more diagnosed
- Howard Springs quarantine facility to double capacity by May
HEALTH minister Natasha Fyles has batted away criticism from the opposition about recruitment for the Territory’s takeover of Howard Springs, but provided no specifics on how many staff have been hired.
It comes amid spiking numbers of active COVID-19 cases at the facility, primarily associated with a brutal second wave on the Indian subcontinent.
There are currently 24 active cases in Howard Springs, the highest concurrently in the Northern Territory since the pandemic began.
22 of those cases are believed to be from repatriation flights originating in India.
The quarantine facility, which will transfer from separate AUSMAT and NT camps to a joint facility spearheaded by the NT, needs 400 staff.
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Speaking at a flu clinic in Casuarina on Wednesday, Ms Fyles said recruitment had gone “really well” but couldn’t provide updated figures on numbers.
“As I mentioned a couple of weeks ago, the figure was around 70,” she said. “Recruitment has gone well and I’ll be looking forward to announcing in the coming days the full plans.”
Ms Fyles said AUSMAT “wouldn’t walk away” on May 3.
“It’s from that point that we’ll be working together as one facility,” she said.
Ms Fyles said there was no need to halt repatriation flights from India, despite the number of active cases detected at Howard Springs hitting its highest level ever.
“This, I believe, is the highest number in terms of repatriation of international flights of vulnerable Australians, but that’s exactly why they’re at that world class facility so that we can keep our community safe,” she said.
Opposition leader Lia Finocchiaro however said she had “grave concerns” about the state of the Howard Springs recruitment drive.
“The Howard Springs Quarantine Facility presents the greatest risk to the Northern Territory of COVID getting into our community,” Ms Finocchiaro said.
“We can’t afford the Territory government to make a single mistake here,” she said.
“We have got no confidence in the Territory government is going to be ready to go under this single governance model by the third of May.”
Ms Finocchiaro said it was “foolish” to throw away a system that has worked well.
EARLIER:
CONCERNS are being raised about the pace of recruitment for the NT Government’s looming takeover of the Howard Springs facility.
It comes as the number of active COVID-19 cases in quarantine reaches 21, with a number of travellers from India testing positive.
Health minister Natasha Fyles told Mix radio on Tuesday she had heard of only 70 of the 400 required staff having been recruited.
Australian Medical Association NT president Dr Robert Parker on Wednesday said he was concerned about the pace of the transition.
“If we can’t recruit, we can’t get those numbers (of repatriation flights) back,” Dr Parker said.
“If we haven’t got the staff, we’re going to have to cut back on the expected numbers coming in,” he said.
Dr Parker said the national cabinet needed to consider pausing the transition of the Howard Springs Quarantine Camp from AUSMAT to the Northern Territory Government.
Also appearing on Mix, opposition leader Lia Finocchiaro has called for Howard Springs to remain in federal government hands amid concerns about recruitment of health staff.
Ms Finocchiaro said on Mix radio this morning that it was concerning only 70 of the 400 staff required for the facility to be transferred from AUSMAT to the Northern Territory Government had been recruited.
“We struggle at the moment to get surgeons, health professionals,” she said, pointing to a shortfall of eight critical frontline workers in Darwin presently.
“I think AUSMAT need to stay in place.”
The office of health minister Natasha Fyles has been contacted for comment.
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