Prime Minister Scott Morrison says Howard Springs will take all passengers on India COVID-19 repatriation flights

Three flights from India will land in Darwin between May 15 and June, as Prime Minister Scott Morrison revealed that repatriated Australians from the COVID-stricken nation will now quarantine exclusively at Howard Springs.

• NT Government silent on Darwin taking all India repatriation flights from May 15
• Howard Springs may be used exclusively to bring stranded Australians home from India

UPDATED: Three repatriation flights from India will land in Darwin between May 15 and June, as Prime Minister Scott Morrison reboots Australia’s flights with the virus-stricken subcontinent.

Speaking on Friday morning, Mr Morrison said the flights would prioritise high priority Australians.

It comes after the repatriation scheme from India was suspended last month after a surge in cases in Howard Springs caused concern.

At its peak, the NT was dealing with 55 active cases of COVID-19, the most ever.

EARLIER: Prime Minister Scott Morrison says May 15 is looking good for the resumption of COVID-19 repatriation flights from India, as the NT government remains in the dark over reports Howard Springs could be used exclusively for returned travellers.

The May 15 resumption date comes despite Chief Minister Michael Gunner repeatedly saying over the past two weeks his advice was for India repatriation flights to only resume in June.

A spokesman for the Chief Minister said the Northern Territory government had received no advice from the federal government that it had plans for Darwin to be the entry point for all COVID-19 repatriation flights from India.

However, Mr Morrison said today the India repatriation flights would be coming principally into Howard Springs.

“That’s the facility that we’ve set up,” he said.

“It has cost around half a billion dollars to set up that facility with the Northern Territory government.

“The expansion of their capacity from 850 to 2000 this month will greatly assist us in doing that.

MORE TOP NEWS

Territorians who have been to NSW since April 30 urged to continually check NT COVID-19 case location watch list

Girl who ran over former MLA also pleads guilty to endangering the life of a police officer

Government backs delay of report into disgraced Labor MLA Mark Turner

“This was the facility that was recommended by the Halton Review, when Jane Halton did a review of all our quarantine facilities. She said a national facility needed to be set up.

“We agreed. We’ve done it in the Northern Territory, 2000 capacity and at a cost of half a billion dollars to the Australian taxpayer.”

Mr Morrison said the meeting of leaders at national cabinet would tomorrow look at the evidence into a resumption of flights on May 15.

“The pause finishes on the 15th of May … I’m very confident that after the 15th of May thereafter, those repatriation flights are going to be able to be restored.

“But I’m not going to make that announcement until we’ve gone through the evidence, taken the medical advice, reviewed that and put in place what we need to ensure that happens.

“We have to make decisions at the end of the day which ensures we do everything we can to prevent a third wave also here in Australia.”

AUSMAT staff at the Howard Springs quarantine facility in Darwin. Picture: Glenn Campbell via NCA NewsWire

Reports that Darwin and Howards Springs would be used as the entry point to Australia for India repatriation flights surfaced today.

Federal Immigration Minister Alex Hawke said the federal government wanted to keep all arrivals from India at Howard Springs.

“We want to keep everyone there so we can maintain and manage that, to keep the numbers (of cases) under control,” Minister Alex Hawke told The Australian.

Another option being considered is understood to be repatriating Australians on flights that are carrying aid to the coronavirus-battered nation.

One such flight from New Delhi landed in Darwin today.