Much to like about Territory approach

A SMALL number of people being housed in the Territory’s Howard Springs quarantine facility have been let out on compassionate grounds, under strict provisions, and the jurisdiction remains COVID-19 free.

There have been no political bunfights between the NT government and their federal counterparts, no prime ministers brought nearly to tears pleading for a premier to let someone attend their father’s funeral, and no premiers crying foul over being bullied.

The NT’s health and welfare-led coronavirus response, which at its core balances the safety of Territorians while being compassionate, has been allowed to go full-steam ahead away, by and large, from the overbearing, distracting and at times just plain stupid political games that have gone on elsewhere. Politicians are incredibly skilled at putting their feet in their mouths and making good things bad, so it is refreshing to see that so far that has been avoided in the Territory’s coronavirus response.

In the Territory, the Chief Health Officer could walk in to most pubs — granted the publicans have a COVID safety plan in place — and get shouted a beer, unlike his counterpart in Queensland, who has had to be given police protection after receiving death threats. Therein is the impact of what happens when politicians get involved in things that should be left to the real experts.

If top-ranked boffins were allowed to get on with it elsewhere, maybe those jurisdictions too could have a COVID-19 response that rivals ours here in the NT.