NT Chief Minister cancels Territory Day fireworks due to coronavirus

NT Chief Minister cancels Territory Day fireworks due to coronavirus

Northern Territory Chief Minister Michael Gunner has defended the cancellation of Territory Day fireworks and celebrations due to coronavirus precautions, and says he can not say when restrictions will begin to be eased.

Key points: After pushback from firework retailers, who source fireworks from Wuhan, the NT's annual "cracker night" has been cancelled

The Chief Minister said the Government was planning alternative ways the NT could celebrate Territory Day

Mr Gunner said "a pathway back to normal" could be developed for the NT if there are no new coronavirus cases by month's end

"Not in a million years did I ever think I would have to say this as Chief Minister: I confirm that fireworks on Territory Day, both public and private, will not be going ahead in 2020," Mr Gunner said.

He said the Government had decided that going ahead with the NT's annual July 1 cracker night was "too risky" and could place extra strain on already-stretched emergency services.

"There are obvious reasons why this can't happen: it's just too much, too many people, too risky at this time," he said.

The decision to axe celebrations more than two months out from the anniversary of self-government attracted immediate criticism.

Territory Alliance leader Terry Mills labelled the decision "overreach" that "risks eroding the good will of the community".

He said the Government needed to begin talking about the "next phase" of the crisis and identify the milestones to be reached before some restrictions could be eased.

But Mr Gunner said the Territory Day decision came after businesses and firework retailers advised him against proceeding with the usual pyrotechnics.

"What made it crystal clear to me was the phone calls we got from the business owners who usually sell fireworks, saying they don't want to this year because it's simply not possible or safe," Mr Gunner said.

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People recovered: 6 Get the latest information from the SecureNT website.

"Our sellers reached out to me and said imports are not happening like they used to, and our fireworks come from China.

"In fact, a lot come from around Wuhan.

"Our sellers don't want to put any more pressure on our emergency services. Whether it's our ambos or fireys or cops, they have enough on their plate."

Mr Gunner said he understood if people were "pissed off about this decision" but said it had to be made.

"It's a fair way off, but businesses needed to be told now because now is when they would normally buy fireworks," he said.

Mr Gunner said the Government was working on alternative ways to celebrate Territory Day in 2020, with more details to be announced next week.

NT could soon map out restriction wind backs

Speaking after Thursday's National Cabinet meeting, Mr Gunner said he could not give a firm timeline on when social and business restrictions could be eased and said he would not make promises that could not be kept.

"The only person I know who promised a hard date for things to quickly go back to normal is Donald Trump," he said.

"I will not be doing a Trump — we will be doing what is right for the Territory, when it is right for the Territory."

He said his hope was that the Government could begin planning "the pathway back to normal" if the NT had no new cases and recoveries in all current cases at the end of the month.

But Mr Gunner said there was also the need to expand the testing regime to include random checks on the NT borders and more testing in neighbouring states with higher case numbers.

He said the easing of restrictions would then happen in stages, with business activity in the NT resuming before border restrictions were relaxed.

"It will happen not a moment later than it needs to, and not a moment sooner," he said.

"I know that isn't the most complete answer, I know people would like more, but I will not play trial and error with Territorians' lives."

Government could splash millions more on tradie vouchers

Mr Gunner said the Government was extending its Home Improvement Scheme stimulus and boosting its initial $30 million funding pool to potentially over $60 million after an "incredible" take-up from Territorians.

But he announced the fund would now close to new applications at 5:00pm tomorrow.

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Nearly 10,000 homeowners have applied for a tradie voucher from the HIS scheme, which offers Territorians who own a home a $6,000 grant for renovations if they contribute $2,000 of their own money.

"That's nearly 10,000 families putting in their own money to get work done. Nearly 10,000 projects that will directly keep Territorians in a job, and a total economic impact that will be well above $100,000," Mr Gunner said.

"To get the biggest and best bang for our buck, we are expanding and extending the scheme."

Homeowners now have one day to finalise quotes and applications under the scheme.

"Every person who puts in an application by then, that gets approved, will get a voucher," he said.

"We expect that will nearly double our initial investment to more than $60 million in vouchers to Territorians."

The Government said applications would be assessed on a first-come, first-served basis and approved in stages.

"It's obvious that the economic impacts of the coronavirus will last for at least a year. Our tradies now have a massive pipeline of work, but we want that work to last, so that the benefits to the rest of the economy can last as well," he said.

The Chief Minister also addressed ongoing concern and confusion around arrangements for Northern Territory schools ahead of the start of term two on Monday.

The Australian Education Union (AEU) has said teachers face unmanageable workloads in trying to cater for students in the classroom as well as supporting parents that choose to keep their children at home.

The AEU NT has also said its concerns about the health and safety of the workplace for teachers have not been addressed.

Michael Gunner said the Government's recommendation was that families send their children to school "where they can learn best".

"Parents and carers who chose to keep their children at home should contact their school to discuss how their learning would continue," he said.

The Chief Minister said he had directed the Education Department to distribute additional health and hygiene advice, but said parents and teachers could be confident that NT schools were safe.

"If the medical experts said to me 'Gunner, the schools aren't safe,' I would shut them down in a second," he said.

"If I ever get that advice in the future, I will shut them down — but that is not the expert advice.

"Remember we are not Sydney, we are not Melbourne, we do not have the community transmission.

"The Territory is the safest place in Australia and our schools are the safest schools in Australia."

Topics: government-and-politics, covid-19, community-and-society, darwin-0800, nt