‘They should all be out at Howard Springs going through the normal quarantine processes’: AMA NT branch president

FOREIGN military officials quarantining in Darwin CBD should be held to the same standard as other international arrivals, the Territory’s peak medical body said

FOREIGN military officials quarantining in Darwin CBD should be held to the same standard as all other international arrivals, the Territory’s peak medical body has said.

Australian Medical Association NT branch president Dr Rob Parker said foreign military officials and their families in quarantine at the Travelodge Resort Darwin on Cavenagh St should follow the same processes as other international arrivals for the safety of the community.

“There should be no particular exclusion for Defence,” he said.

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“They should all be out at Howard Springs going through the normal quarantine processes.”

Dr Parker said if COVID-19 were to spread from the hotel into the community, the result could be catastrophic.

“It would be awful. That’s why I think they need to be held to the same standard as the rest of the overseas arrivals at Howard Springs,” he said.

Up to 300 foreign military officials and their families will undergo mandatory quarantine in Darwin before participating in training with the Australian Defence College.

Hundreds of foreign military officials and their families will fly into Darwin and undertake quarantine throughout January to take part in training with the Australian Defence College. Picture: Che Chorley

A Defence spokeswoman said Howard Springs was not used to so it remained available “in the event of a large-scale emergency in the NT” and to accommodate Australians returning from overseas.

She said most of the officials were from “close partners” in the Indo Pacific, and that the hotel would be staffed by personnel at all times.

Acting Chief Minister Nicole Manison stood by Defence’s use of the Travelodge.

“We’re talking about the Australian Defence Force here who have very high standards, incredibly high standards, and we’re talking about a thorough assessment that has happened here within the Northern Territory,” she said.

“We have assessed this plan and we have got the highest level of confidence in it, and the delivery of what they’re doing and how they’re going about managing these arrivals into Australia.”

Ms Manison, when asked if the NT community would be notified if any officials or their families tested positive for COVID-19, said the public would know “because it’s in everybody’s interest that we’re transparent about these things”.

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Deputy Opposition Leader Gerard Maley was concerned about the level of security used at the Travelodge, given COVID-19 outbreaks caused by security and hotel staff quarantine failures in Victoria.

“We can’t afford to have the COVID-19 within the community,” he said.

“Darwin has been very lucky we haven’t had any community transmission, and this is just another concern.”

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