Howard Springs quarantine facility to double capacity by May

THE capacity of Australia’s gold-standard coronavirus quarantine facility will be more than doubled by the end of May, in a major logistic and operational effort that will require 400 extra workers

THE capacity of Australia’s gold-standard coronavirus quarantine facility will be more than doubled by the end of May, in a major logistic and operational effort that will require 400 extra workers.

But in a controversial move, the highly-skilled National Critical Care and Trauma Response Centre team that currently runs the international wing of Howard Springs will be sidelined for a “single governance model” helmed by Police Commissioner Jamie Chalker.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison, after Friday’s national cabinet meeting, announced the Commonwealth and the NT government had agreed to increase the capacity of Howard Springs from 850 people per fortnight to 2000.

The major scale-up is expected to be in place by the end of May.

AUSMAT staff at the Howard Springs quarantine facility in Darwin's outskirts. Picture: GLENN CAMPBELL via NCA NewsWire

Under the current agreement, the Commonwealth has made up to $243.7m available to the NT government to cover the costs of running the facility.

It remains unknown how much more the Commonwealth will fork out under the new contract.

The expansion will require 400 extra health staff and workers, with nationwide recruitment to begin shortly.

Mothballed dongas at the former miners camp will also have to be activated.

A new demountable medical clinic will be added.

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When the expansion is in place, the Territory will be responsible for 15 per cent of Australia’s international quarantine capacity.

But in a major shift from convention, Police Commissioner Jamie Chalker, in his role as the Territory Controller, will sit at the top of the facility’s governance structure.

It is understood the NCCTRC, whose AUSMAT members set up the world-class facility, will be transitioned out as early as the end of March.

Mr Chalker said the model that AUSMAT set up will remain in place and the NT government assuming control of facility will free up the NCCTRC for other crisis missions they may be needed for.

He said the structure shake up would have “negligible effect” on how business is conducted at Howard Springs.

“There is no fear here,” Mr Chalker said.

Chief Minister Michael Gunner said the “single governance structure” decision had been made in “complete consultation” with NCCTRC executive director Professor Len Notaras and the Commonwealths’ Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer.

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Opposition Leader Lia Finocchiaro said there were “serious concerns” over the NT government’s capability to handle the expansion and ability to hire 400 extra staff.

“We know that international arrivals present the greatest risk of COVID getting out into our community and that’s why Territorians have been reassured by the separation between domestic and international quarantine arrivals, and staff at each facility,” she said.