‘Very advanced negotiations’ underway to double Howard Springs quarantine capacity in bid to assist stranded overseas Aussies

THE number of repatriated Australians housed at Darwin’s Howard Springs quarantine facility could soon double to 1000 under ‘very advanced negotiations’ between both levels of government.

THE number of repatriated Australians housed at Darwin’s Howard Springs quarantine facility could soon double to 1000 under “very advanced negotiations” between both levels of government.

It comes as a Senate inquiry into Australia’s coronavirus response heard the list of citizens wanting to come home from overseas had grown to a staggering 36,875 people as of Tuesday.

The number of vulnerable Australians had also doubled, from about 4000 in late September to 8070 yesterday.

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Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the government was “moving everything we possibly can to get as many Australians home”, in line with his commitment in September to repatriate as many citizens as possible before Christmas.

The Senate inquiry heard the federal government was in “very advanced negotiations” to expand the capacity of Howard Springs from 500 to 1000 per fortnight.

Inside the Howard Springs quarantine facility. Picture: Ben Sale/ Other Side Productions

A spokesman from Chief Minister Michael Gunner’s office confirmed discussions were ongoing, but stressed nothing had been agreed to.

The Howard Springs quarantine facility’s international wing is run by the National Critical Care and Trauma Response Centre (NCCTRC), while the domestic wing is run by NT Health and Territory Families.

But the domestic wing is set to start emptying out from Monday, when the Territory officially removes travel restrictions imposed on greater Melbourne.

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The Prime Minister, when announcing the repatriation deal with the NT in mid-October, said he expected 5000 people would be quarantined in Howard Springs by the time the agreement ended in March.

More than 1000 repatriated Australians have so far been quarantined at Howard Springs.

Opposition home affairs spokeswoman Kristina Keneally said the government should be ramping up the number of arrivals and that Labor would support expanding commonwealth capacity to expedite the process.