Use of former immigration detention centre Bladin Point to quarantine students ‘reasonable’: Gunner
THE use of a former immigration detention centre in Darwin to quarantine international students is a “reasonable proposition”, Chief Minister Michael Gunner has said
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THE use of a former immigration detention centre in Darwin to quarantine international students is a “reasonable proposition”, Chief Minister Michael Gunner has said.
It comes amid a plan by Charles Darwin University (CDU) to fly hundreds of international students to the NT, following a successful pilot program in November.
The former immigration detention centre Bladin Point, now known as Bladin Village, is being used by Defence to quarantine batches of US Marines deployed to Darwin as part of Marine Rotational Force-Darwin (MRF-D).
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The rejigged facility, which is privately owned, is touted, on its website as “able to accommodate up to 750 people in two co-located villages and features contemporary facilities for a modern transient workforce”.
Reiterating that the Commonwealth’s priority of getting stranded Australians home first, Mr Gunner said proposals from CDU that included “on farm quarantine” scenarios, namely arrangements that don’t cut into the capacity of existing facilities, would be considered.
It comes as the Northern Territory and Commonwealth government’s remain locked in negotiations over the expansion of Howard Springs.
Both governments have signalled doubling the capacity of the quarantine facility from 850 people per fortnight.
Mr Gunner said the use of Bladin Point to house international students was a “reasonable proposition” but would require conversations between CDU, the Commonwealth and possibly Defence.
A spokesman for CDU did not confirm if the institution was considering a facility like Bladin Village but said “any quarantine arrangement would need to comply with strict NT government requirements”.
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The spokesman confirmed the university was still working “closely” with the NT government and the Commonwealth on a proposal to bring 700 students to Australia, mainly from Asia and the Indian subcontinent.
A spokesman for Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt said each state and territory was responsible for managing COVID-19 including quarantine measures.
“As with any quarantine facility, the Commonwealth Department of Health would seek to understand how proposals comply with best practice guidance for health services in quarantine accommodation; this includes the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee recommendations and its sub-committees,” he said.
International Education Association of Australia chief executive Phil Honeywood said it would be an “excellent idea” to have more than one option beside the Howard Springs quarantine facility for use in Darwin.
Mr Honeywood said the key question was if the Northern Territory government had the appetite to allow international students to quarantine in Darwin on their way to other states and territories.
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