Welcome mat to the Territory rolls out in four weeks

THE date is set for the NT’s borders to open but Territorians are still urged to be vigilant

THE Northern Territory borders will reopen to the rest of Australia on July 17.

Chief Minister Michael Gunner announced yesterday that in four weeks, all interstate arrivals into the NT would not have to go into self-isolation for 14 days.

The decision comes after weeks of campaigning from business representatives, who remain adamant the NT’s borders should reopen now or a travel bubble with COVID-19-safe states such as South Australia should be set up.

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But the creation of travel bubbles could pose a legal issue for the NT, according to Mr Gunner, who said he’d been advised the move would be “inconsistent” with the constitution.

Mr Gunner said his decision to wait 28 days before opening the borders was based on several factors, including chief health officer Hugh Heggie’s advice, which is the NT should wait two replication cycles of 14 days to make sure it is “absolutely safe” based on spread in states like Victoria and NSW.

The wait will also allow businesses, Territorians and potential visitors to prepare for the major change.

Dr Heggie told the NT News that while there were currently no cases of COVID-19 in the NT, there was a chance more cases could be diagnosed here.

“Territorians should not become complacent,” he said.

For the first two weeks after July 17, police and border authorities will keep a heightened presence at land and air points and a “rapid response team” will be available to contain any spread of the virus.

“People will still complete a form telling us where they have come from and where they intend to stay … So we know where people are, if we need to find them,” Mr Gunner said.

“Our test, trace and trap regime is fully operational to make sure that if there is a new case in the Territory, it will not be allowed to spread.”

Chamber of Commerce NT chief executive Greg Ireland and NT Cattlemen’s Association chief executive Ashley Manicaros said they still believed the NT’s borders should be opened to safe states immediately.

“We don’t understand why the border with SA can’t be opened immediately,” Mr Manicaros said.

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Mr Ireland said: “But we welcome the fact that there is now a known date and business can prepare.”

Hospitality NT chief executive Alex Bruce said he was comfortable with the date given it was made on medical advice.