Editorial: Reopening the NT’s borders today the right call to make

THE decision to open the NT’s borders today is the right one. We simply can’t afford to stay shut.

A road train and its safety vehicle were the first to be stopped by NT Police at the NT/SA border after coronavirus border restrictions came into effect at 4pm on Tuesday, March 24. Photo: Emma Murray

• Interstate travellers abuzz ahead of NT borders reopening

IT’S been a long 116 days since the Northern Territory’s borders closed to protect us from coronavirus. At the time, closing our borders was unquestionably the right thing to do.

But as time has gone by and the crisis has eased in most parts of Australia, it has become clear that our borders needed to reopen at some point in July.

We appreciate many Territorians are nervous about the borders reopening to millions of Australians, except for those living in Victoria, Greater Sydney and the Blue Mountains areas.

In recent weeks, this newspaper has made a strong stance that NT businesses and the economy could not afford for our borders to continue to be closed indefinitely.

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While no one genuinely predicted such a disastrous second wave in Victoria, the worsening crisis in that state should not take the gloss of what is a momentous day for the Territory.

Opening our borders to a potential 14 million Australian travellers during what is still the busiest part of the tourist season will bring much needed financial relief to NT businesses who have been crippled by this crisis.

Yesterday’s devastating job figures for the Territory show the need to get our already-shot economy slowly back on track is critically important.

The shocking figures show 8800 fewer people were employed in the Territory in June compared to March.

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If our borders continue to be closed, the economic damage would be even more devastating.

The Australia-wide coronavirus case numbers show the problem is largely concentrated to Victoria with what seems to be a manageable flare-up in Sydney.

The rest of Australia and Territorians should not be punished for what’s happening in Victoria.

The decision to open the NT’s borders today is the right one.

We can’t afford to stay shut.

The harsh reality is we all have to learn to live with this virus until a vaccine is discovered.

No matter what importance you place on business and the economy, the expert health advice is that the Territory’s borders can safely reopen today.

We simply have to trust that advice.