NT ‘open’ to expanding international arrival capacity by more than 1000 Chief Minister says

The Northern Territory would be “open” to potentially expanding Darwin’s intake of international arrivals beyond a thousand a fortnight Chief Minister Michael Gunner has said.

THE Northern Territory would be “open” to potentially expanding Darwin’s intake of international arrivals beyond a thousand a fortnight Chief Minister Michael Gunner has said.

It comes as an agreement to double the capacity at Howard Springs quarantine facility moves closer to being finalised.

Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt and Chief Minister Michael Gunner, in quick succession on Friday, confirmed that both governments were close to concluding an agreement to take in 1000 repatriated Australians a fortnight up from 500.

“We are very close to concluding an agreement with the NT … to bring home more Australians earlier,” Mr Hunt said.

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Signing off on the capacity increase is what’s needed before the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade can move to book extra repatriation flights to evacuate vulnerable Australians stuck overseas.

Qantas indicated on Friday they had not yet added extra repatriation flights beyond the 10 scheduled to arrive in Darwin between November 30 and February 20 from London, Frankfurt, Chennai, Paris and New Delhi.

Mr Gunner confirmed the expansion of Howard Springs for more international arrivals was part of the bilateral agreement the NT signed with the Commonwealth back in October, which included a payment of $50m to the Territory.

The quarantine centre at Howard Springs, near Darwin. Picture: News Corp Australia

The development is good news for Australians stranded overseas. DFAT confirmed on Thursday the number of citizens looking to return had grown to 36,875 and conceded many would not be home for Christmas.

The expansion of the international wing at Howard Springs means the domestic wing, which won’t be needed beyond Monday when Melbourne ceases to be a hotspot, will shrink.

But Mr Gunner said there would be headroom available at all times to ensure the NT has the capacity to kick it back into gear should a hotspot need to be declared.

The NT News has also confirmed there would be no crossover between staff in the international wing, run by the National Critical Care and Trauma Response Centre, and the NT Health-led domestic side, in that they can’t work a shift on one side and move to the other.

Mr Gunner said in the short term, the increase to 1000 international arrivals is “ticked”, and the NT would be “open to further conversations” down the line once the latest expansion is deemed manageable.

Howard Springs, south of Darwin. Picture: Che Chorley

“I think all those conversations are genuine and possible,” he said.

“We would love to make sure we get as many returning Australians home as possible.”

More than 1001 repatriated Australians have been quarantined in Howard Springs since October, with the NT recording three more coronavirus cases inside the facility on Friday.

A four-year-old girl and two women aged 39 and 58, who arrived on a repatriation flight from New Delhi, tested positive.

The Chief Minister said it was “absolutely true” that Australia’s greatest coronavirus exposure risk at the moment was from accepting international arrivals

“Now, I don’t believe you therefore put up the walls and let no one in,” he said.

“You’ve got to work on how you let them in, and let them in safely.”