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'Indefinite' Northern Territory border closure to Australian Covid-19 hot spots

The Northern Territory will not open its borders to those from other areas in Australia deemed to be Covid-19 hotspots - DAVE HUNT/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock /Shutterstock
The Northern Territory will not open its borders to those from other areas in Australia deemed to be Covid-19 hotspots - DAVE HUNT/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock /Shutterstock

The Northern Territory will keep its border closed to people from Victoria and other Covid-19 hotspots within Australia for at least 18 months, and is “much more likely” to add more banned zones to its current list, the Territory’s Chief Minister announced Tuesday.

The Territory initially closed its border in late March, before re-opening to most of Australia on 17 July.

At present, anyone who enters the Territory from a coronavirus hotspot, which includes the state of Victoria and Greater Sydney, must undergo two weeks of supervised quarantine on arrival at a personal cost of A$2,500 (£1,367). People who lie on their arrival forms could face up to three years in prison.

Chief Minister Michael Gunner said the bans were indefinite.

“We're much more likely to add spots than remove them, we've got an indefinite ban on Victoria and Sydney keeps bubbling away to the point where I can't give you a date where that will ever lift… My advice to every Territorian is if you can stay in the Territory… We're working towards at least an 18-month window from today towards the end of next year of how we are resourcing our borders,” he said.

A woman surveys the Melbourne skyline, where a strict lockdown is still in force due to large numbers of Covid-19 cases - WILLIAM WEST /AFP
A woman surveys the Melbourne skyline, where a strict lockdown is still in force due to large numbers of Covid-19 cases - WILLIAM WEST /AFP

Mr Gunner faces an election on August 22.

At a press conference, a rival party leader - Terry Mills - accused the Territory government of inconsistencies in its border policies, and called on Mr Gunner to immediately declare all of New South Wales a coronavirus hotspot. That same day, New South Wales recorded 22 new cases of coronavirus, its highest daily number of cases in almost four months.

The population of the Northern Territory is particularly vulnerable to Covid-19.

At least 30% of the population of the Territory is Indigenous. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are more likely to have chronic medical conditions than the non-Indigenous population.

According to the 2016 census, some 78% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the Territory live in remote communities, where a range of factors make the population more vulnerable to Covid-19, including chronic illness, access to clean water, and access to medical care.

Hotels in the Northern Territory were allowed to reopen in May when restrictions were lifted - HELEN ORR/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock /Shutterstock
Hotels in the Northern Territory were allowed to reopen in May when restrictions were lifted - HELEN ORR/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock /Shutterstock

The Territory is home to an incredibly rich diversity of cultures and many Indigenous groups, with more than 100 languages and dialects spoken by the peoples within its borders.

Earlier this year the United Nations warned that Covid-19 poses a particularly grave threat to Indigenous peoples around the world.

“Indigenous communities already experience poor access to healthcare, significantly higher rates of communicable and non-communicable diseases, lack of access to essential services, sanitation, and other key preventive measures, such as clean water, soap, disinfectant, etc,” a statement read.

“Likewise, most nearby local medical facilities, if and when there are any, are often under-equipped and under-staffed. Even when Indigenous peoples are able to access healthcare services, they can face stigma and discrimination.”

“A key factor is to ensure these services and facilities are provided in indigenous languages, and as appropriate to the specific situation of Indigenous peoples.”