‘Why are we continuing to turn our backs to them?’: NT tourism, business beg for border opening date to allow friends, family and Australians to the Territory

TERRITORIANS can now travel to South Australia without going into mandatory quarantine after the state’s premier suddenly opened its borders to three jurisdictions yesterday

TERRITORIANS can now travel to South Australia without going into mandatory quarantine after the state’s premier suddenly opened its borders to three jurisdictions yesterday.

However, people coming into the Territory will still need to self-isolate for 14 days after Chief Minister Michael Gunner refused to follow SA’s lead and reopen the NT’s borders early.

Yesterday, SA Premier Steven Marshall announced they would open borders for Territorians, Western Australians and Tasmanians from midnight last night following a meeting with the SA Transition Committee.

Mr Marshall said he made the decision to help drive new tourism and jobs for South Australians.

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Mr Gunner, however, maintained he would make a firm border decision by the end of this week “based on medical advice”.

“I’ve been straight with you the whole time about how we are making these decisions, and I’m not breaking my word now,” he told the NT News.

Mr Gunner said he continued to monitor the result of mass-protests interstate.

Two protesters who attended a Black Lives Matter rally in Melbourne have since tested positive for coronavirus.

“We are monitoring what’s happening in the other states every day,” Mr Gunner said.

“We need to be absolutely sure that the mass protests in the south haven’t led to large outbreaks.

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“Then we can make an informed decision on easing border restrictions.

“I’ve promised to make a decision by the end of this week, based on the medical advice, to keep you safe.”

The Territory’s peak business bodies have criticised Mr Gunner’s refusal to open the NT borders early.

Chamber of Commerce NT chief executive Greg Ireland and Hospitality NT chief executive Alex Bruce said the borders needed to be opened before more economic damage was done.

“Business absolutely needs the support,” Mr Ireland said.

“It’s important to realise that up to 50 per cent of Northern Territory businesses are currently supported by JobKeeper. That honeymoon is going to come to an end at some point when the Federal Government decides that JobKeeper can no longer be funded.

“There’s a financial cliff approaching for those businesses and without the borders open there’s no opportunity to get to the volumes we need to get to.”

Mr Bruce said there had “been a little bit of an opportunity lost by the Northern Territory not being the first jurisdiction to move positively on this”.

“We need to get on board before more economic damage is caused,” he said.

“Every day that we don’t open the borders from now on, is just more jobs, more economic pain to the Northern Territory.”

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Mr Bruce urged Mr Gunner to open the borders on July 1 to coincide with Territory Day.

“It’s time to be a Territorian and what would be better than welcoming all of our family and friends from across Australia back to the Territory for Territory Day,” he said.

“These are our friends, our family and fellow Australians.

“Why are we continuing to turn our backs to them?”