Michael Gunner says quarantine to remain in place for interstate arrivals from hot spots come Christmas time

Quarantine will likely remain a requirement for anyone from Victoria or NSW wanting to visit family in the Territory come Christmas time, although there may be some changes.

CHIEF Minister Michael Gunner says it’s his “Christmas wish” for as many Territorians as possible to be vaccinated, but has insisted that quarantine requirements remain for interstate arrivals from hot spots.

Mr Gunner said the government would not revoke Victoria and NSW as hot spots just because the Territory hits vaccination targets set out in the national Covid plan.

It comes as some restrictions begin to ease in Covid-ridden Victoria and NSW, with the states’ respective premiers flagging more to come as new vaccination milestones are hit.

“Territorians haven’t done all this hard work and sacrificed so much just to stuff it up now and let Covid rip,” Mr Gunner said.

“That would be crazy. And that’s not what the national plan says.”

Mr Gunner flagged his desire to change the government’s policy on quarantine, which currently requires arrivals from hot spots to undertake 14 days’ supervised quarantine at the Howard Springs or Todd facility, at a cost of $2500 per person.

Gunner’s plan to make interstate arrivals from hot spots quarantine may crush Christmas plans for many wanting to visit family in the Territory.

“What I hope is that by Christmas enough Territorians will be vaccinated so that we can allow fully vaccinated people from hot spots into the Territory to quarantine at home,” he said.

Mr Gunner also flagged potential changes to the way a hotspot is defined, but told ABC Darwin on Monday he “certainly” doesn’t foresee NSW being revoked as a hotspot before Christmas.

It remains unclear whether Mr Gunner would continue to impose lockdowns if there are further cases of Covid-19 in the community after hitting double dose vaccination targets of 70 per cent and 80 per cent.

The national Covid plan, agreed to last month by all states and territories, outlines how the nation would transition its Covid-19 response, based on epidemiological modelling by the Doherty Institute.

The national plan states lockdowns would be “less likely but possible” when a jurisdiction hits a double dose vaccination rate of 70 per cent.

When that rate hits 80 per cent, the national plan calls for “highly targeted lockdowns only”.

There is nothing in the nothing in the national plan about opening domestic borders.

The plan is also silent on quarantine requirements for international arrivals.

The national cabinet has no legal powers, so any agreements made by members are not legally enforceable.

However, concerns have been raised about the consequences of continued border closures as vaccination rates rise in the Territory and across other jurisdictions.

The NT News understands Mr Gunner is yet to finalise his Christmas leave arrangements.

Originally published as Michael Gunner says quarantine to remain in place for interstate arrivals from hot spots come Christmas time