NT Covid: Mask mandate and check in restrictions lifted

Throb Nightclub will open its doors for the first time all year this weekend, after they closed for months due to the mask mandate. SEE THEIR MARDI GRAS PLANS

FOR the first time in months, Darwin’s famed Throb nightclub is swinging its doors back open and getting the party started once again.

After the mask mandate was announced at short notice last New Year’s Eve, the popular, long-time Smith St nightclub made the tough decision to temporarily shut up shop.

Meanwhile the NT hospitality industry this week reacted with fury after Chief Minister Michael Gunner announced only a partial wind-back of Covid-19 restrictions on Wednesday. Enraged Hospitality NT chief executive Alex Bruce slammed the government for waiting until Monday to ease the rules

Throb co-director Tim Palmer said if the club were to have opened for the New Year’s celebrations, the numbers through the door would have been a “disaster”.

“So we made the terribly difficult decision to not trade,” Mr Palmer said.

Throb’s Tim Palmer, Crystal Love and Hyalites Sarah Muller. Picture: Glenn Campbell

It’s routine for the club to temporarily close for after New Year’s until Australia Day, but when January 26 rolled around this year the team figured it was best to sit February out too.

With the Mardi Gras festival taking place in Sydney on the weekend, Mr Palmer said there could not be a better time to reopen the club once again.

Crystal Love will be making her appearance on stage over the Mardi Gras weekend celebration at Throb with a brand new smile, thanks to Neil Rowland and his husband and partner of 32 years, James Gaffield.

The couple — good friends of Mr Palmer, his husband Mark Marcelis’ and Throb co-director Karen Dunham — visited Throb two years ago, escaping Sydney Covid lockdowns.

The visit inspired a decision to annually donate $5000 to a Throb community member who goes above and beyond.

The inaugural recipient of the generous donation is Ms Love, iconic Sista-girl queen, who has performed at Throb since its opening night 22 years ago. She said she was gobsmacked when she was the recipient of the gesture.

“It was like a boomerang hit me across the mouth, I couldn’t stop smiling,” Ms Love said.

Hyalite Dental also played a big part in Ms Love’s new pearly whites after they took the last-minute booking to give her the teeth of her dreams and for a very discounted price – leaving the leftover $2000 to be donated to the Darwin Pride Festival.

Mr Palmer said the club opens 11pm on Friday for $5 Fridays and Mardi Gras Saturday 11pm to late.

But Mr Bruce said some NT venues would have to remain closed or see reduced crowds this weekend as a result of the NT Government’s decision to delay lifting mask restrictions until Monday.

This Saturday is expected to be a particularly busy weekend due to local celebrations of Mardi Gras.

Fury as venues miss out on maskless Mardi Gras weekend

THURS, 6AM: THE hospitality industry has reacted with fury after Chief Minister Michael Gunner announced only a partial wind-back of Covid-19 restrictions on Wednesday.

But retailers in Darwin City have welcomed the move, saying it was time Territorians learnt to live responsibly with Covid-19.

Mr Gunner fronted his first Covid-19 press conference in weeks to announce the Territory’s mask mandate would be scrapped on Monday except for in some high risk settings.

Checking in through QR codes will also be scrapped in most settings, except for in licenced venues.

The changes follow similar moves by other states to start living with the virus without any restrictions.

But an enraged Hospitality NT chief executive Alex Bruce has slammed the government for waiting until Monday to ease the rules.

Mr Bruce said some venues would have to remain closed or see reduced crowds this weekend as a result. This Saturday was expected to be particularly busy due to local celebrations of Mardi Gras.

NT Chief Minister Michael Gunner said the mask mandate will end on Monday. Picture: Glenn Campbell

Hospitality NT chief executive Alex Bruce. Picture: Supplied.

“(Mr Gunner) has disrupted Saturday night plans for Mardi Gras in local venues unnecessarily,” Mr Bruce said.

“They are continuing to shred consumer confidence and spread mistruth that our industry has any additional risk to it, without providing a shred of evidence.”

Mr Bruce also took aim at the government for keeping QR codes in licenced venues, saying there was no evidence the risk of transmission was more significant at bars and pubs compared to supermarkets and shopping centres.

“Bunnings gets to pull their (QR codes) down, Woolies gets to pull theirs down … but why are we the only ones who continue with the QR codes and log books that they haven’t collected since December?”

CLP health spokesman Bill Yan also expressed confusion at why licenced venues still needed proof of vaccination and QR check ins.

“What advice has the Gunner Labor Government been provided that suggests singling out licenced venues is the best health measure?” Mr Yan said.

The Precinct’s manager Alex Ng couldn’t hide his disappointment at the only partial wind-back of restrictions by the NT Government.

“It’s so frustrating, I don’t know how to describe how frustrated we are,” he said. “They should have lifted everything, we’ve been dealing with this [uncertainty] for a month now.”

Mr Ng said the Precinct would see customers return in droves if all restrictions were lifted. “If [the restrictions] lifted, we wouldn’t have to check double-vaccinated people, and we’d have more people willing to stay longer,” he said.

Aleisha Mohrwinkel Duty Manager at the Precinct is not happy that the masked mandate will not be lifting on licensed venues. Picture: Julianne Osborne

Mr Ng said he looks forward to when restrictions don’t impact on his business. “Tourists will come in to boost up the economy and boost up hospitality, everyone will have a job … it [will be] ten times better once it has been lifted”.

Darwin City Retailers Association general manager Andrea Wicking said her organisation’s members had welcomed the move overwhelmingly.

“Retailers continue safe Covid management practices on their premises to ensure a safe and enjoyable retail experience for shoppers,” Ms Wicking said. “It is time for the Territory to learn to live with Covid.”

Mr Gunner said the decision to only ease the mask mandate on Monday was to give time for authorities to ensure the Territory’s curve continued to trend downward.

“And masks will continue to be compulsory in high risk areas such as hospitals and health care facilities, aged care and disability residential facilities and correctional facilities as well,” he said.

“Mask wearing when you cannot maintain a distance of one and a half metres from others continues to be strongly recommended, but not compulsory.

“From now on the Territory Check-In app will only be required and visiting venues that require you to show proof of vaccination.”

The NT government has been hesitant to remove restrictions until now, despite other states doing so weeks ago. Authorities said the delay in dumping the mask mandate was due to the NT’s peak cresting weeks behind the Omicron wave on the East Coast.

Mask mandate to be lifted from Monday

Chief Minister Michael Gunner has revealed the Territory wide indoor mask mandate will be lifted from Monday, outside of high risk settings.

The Territory check-in app restriction has also been eased with visitors required to use the app when visiting venues that require proof of vaccination.

This comes as the Territory recorded two more Covid related deaths bringing the total death tally in the NT to 26 since the start of the pandemic.

There were also 624 new cases recorded.

“Numbers continue to go in the direction that we want,” Mr Gunner said.

“We have passed the peak. The Territory has stared down the Omicron wave and every Territorian has made sacrifices.

“Now that we are pas the Omicron wave it is time for the Territory to enter the next phase where we continue to live with the virus but with more freedom and more personal responsibility from Monday.”

Mask mandate and Check in App restrictions to ease

THE Northern Territory’s mask mandate will be lifted in a matter of days not weeks, according to the Chief Minister.

Speaking on radio this morning, Michael Gunner said they had decided on when changes would be made, but wanted to make sure before announcing it.

“We have a date and it’s definitely sooner rather than later,” he said.

“It will be days not weeks.

“We’ve got to be very careful it’s done once and it’s done right.”

He said the data of new infections was showing a downward trend, which meant changes could happen, though it might be in stages.

“We have discussed stepping it out, whether masks go first or check in app we’re still working that out,” he said.

Mr Gunner thanked the community for

“The compliance here has been extraordinary — compared to all reports coming from interstate, Territorians have been outstanding,” he said.

He also said there would be no backing down on the mandate for having the third dose of the vaccine.

“The most important thing we have left is the vaccine,” he said.

“We’ve got to make sure we keep severity of cases as low as possible.”

It comes after 386 new Covid cases were recorded yesterday, and 21 people have died with the virus in the NT.

Originally published as NT Covid: Mask mandate and check in restrictions lifted