Statement and I've got the director of the National Critical Care and Trauma Response Center will also provide some comments and then we're happy to take questions The northern territory has tested nearly 3400 people for Corona virus. We still have 20 - eight diagnosed positive cases and six of those people have recovered and I just like to acknowledge Territorians. It's all been a huge change in our lives over the past few weeks, but everybody is doing their bit. We know many people businesses are finding things really tough individuals changing their daily routine, but it We must keep these measures in place in terms of our wonderful National critical care and trauma Response Center. The Northern territory is not only looking after territorial, but we are out there supporting other Ozzie's in need as territorial know we hosted the evacuees from and from the Diamond Princess here at Howard Springs and that taught our health professionals. allergist sticks experts lessons we are now on the front line. we have been in Western Australia providing support to the Western Australian government, a team of Oscar there we have been. Providing resources into East Timor and we are now in Tasmania at helping them a situation there such a small jurisdiction and highlights how easily we can go from a situation where the Northern territory is with one case quickly spreading and two hospitals shut down there. so our critical care and trauma Response Center is on the ground. A team of seven flew out yesterday and they are helping and they will reestablish those health services so the message to. We know that at times, it can be frustrating. It's a school holidays like none of us have ever expected. it certainly wasn't the Easter we used to, but these measures are working. these strong measures are saving lives and that is what this is about. I'll now hand to lend the tires to provide some comments and then I'll be happy to take any questions. Thank you. Thank you Minister Rob Linda Torres, the executive director of National Critical Care and Trauma Response Center. it was a great privilege yesterday to dispatch seven of our automatic trained clinicians and logisticians to Bernie Hospital to assist with a critical situation that they're confronting at the present moment with so many of their senior clinical staff and support staff in isolation our seven. I was supported by 30 - five Defense Force people and the team are taking the over arching control or should I say leadership of the of the program that said they will be restoring the emergency Department to why a level that it was at prior to this occurring and giving the people of Northwest Queensland the clinical services in emergency medicine that they are correctly deserve that said as Minister. A little earlier right at this moment, we have a team of just on 18 down in LA and they have performed a critical role the critical role with the screening and indeed that the candidate of the atoning that vessel will leave Australia towards the end of this week and the work that awesome had drawn from right across this nation but trained here in Darwin and constituted by a number of clinicians and our logisticians from Darwin itself has done a fabulous job. Thank you. So I suppose with the testimonial. Yeah. What's up? Yeah. So I suppose the ultimate team providing the services that the hospitals in Bernie would normally provide the service that we are working on at the present moment is providing restoring the emergency Department at the Bernie Hospital now there are other services provided by the Bernie Hospital, but this at this particular moment we're concentrating on the emergency Department so that people whether it be as the result of rape. Trauma whether it be the result of cardiac issues or maternal issues can present to the hospital and get the same level of service that they might expect in normal times that will occur without people for the next 14 days until such time as the isolation period for those who have been placed in isolation expires. if it's necessary, we will stay longer the defense Department and the defense person they'll have specifically asked that. Take the clinical leadership and indeed we are doing that as we speak so well that's working well. we're going to open the reopen the emergency Department this morning, but that's been deferred to tomorrow because a deep clean continues and we want to be very safe and sure of what is occurring what is important as that this is not just about covered in the response we've got clean. That is politicians who have absolutely no risk to cover at this stage being down there providing a service for the people of Bernie and Northwest Tasmania and how big would you describe this challenge in Northwest Tasmania? look it is a significant challenge for the people of Northwest Tasmania. It's impacted on a significant part of the population. I think something to the vicinity of eight to 10 percent of the. As a result of the quarantine, but that's it the challenge itself is not a huge challenge, compared to other challenges that we've confronted now with the atoning we've basically looked after in excess of eight hundred people screening has occurred not only has screening occurred, but the decanting from the hospital to hotels and to hospitals were necessary from the vessel at least two hotels into hospitals when necessary has all had. It has occurred and they could successfully and as streamlined manner Minister mentioned a little earlier the experiences that we had with the hand and indeed with the diamond Princess, it should never be forgotten that tears staff trained here in Darwin drawn from across the nation right across the nation, but trained here in Dallas through the National Critical Care and Trauma Response Center, not only. Funded but transported something like eight hundred people to Christmas Island and to the Howard Springs facility in a seamless manner and in an uneventful manner that that treatment that isolation period and so on the screening that occurred went on in a a textbook manner, and it's a matter that other jurisdictions and emulate just for clarity. How many meters are they you know in in a breakdown, States and territories right across Australia at the the ultimate the database is in excessive eight hundred. It comes close to to a thousand but when we when we look at deployments, we may well use local resources as well. so, for instance, in the Western Australia at the moment with the Tania we. 18 of those trained and accredited individuals, but they are also supported by local clinicians as well. Western Australian clinicians so it becomes a collaborative effort and we can actually screen train and ensure that people are prepared for the purported prepare for the event that they're attending the same applies to the Western Pacific. We've trained a number across the Western Pacific as we have. Asia as well, we mental right across the world and so it's a great tribute to what the the Center and indeed the territory has actually been able to achieve in Association with the federal government and the setup at Bernie. is it field hospitals that you've got set up to cover that no it's it's not a field hospital. We're using the existing facility the existing hospital and hence the delay in opening the reopening the emergency Department. Because of the deep clean and the high clean that securing as we speak that was due to be finished today, but they've been known necessity for us to deploy any of our assets. They're all here should they be necessary at any time for any part of the Northern territory will be able to very quickly deploy them, but for all of the recent deployments apart from some of our last year, we've not needed to to move the the hospital campus so just to be clear this stuff down here at the moment they're basically just. Over from clinical staff there that have to quarantine is that right that's correct they are basically taking over the emergency Department looking after the emergency Department working collaboratively with defense and when you when you consider that we've drawn stuff from the National Critical care and trauma response Center here so that we haven't denuded the the vital resources that went in the Northern territory require to ensure the safe. Of territorial, as well with those stuff tested before they went to they they are clean. so there was no reason for them to be separately tested before they went to Tesla Mania because they they have none of the symptomatology or or exposure that might make them at risk and because the medical staff that are need their exempt from the travel restrictions as well. Look when we when we say they're exempt from travel restrictions, they're exempt going down to Tasmania, but when they return to the Northern territory they we will be. Putting them back into isolation and we will have that isolation for two weeks because I went in the Northern territory has really led the way in this nation in terms of the response and we in no way wish to jeopardize that we wanna make sure that that safety and that that impeccable record is maintained will be a lot to quarantine in their home so they have to follow the post hotel they will they will be there will be correcting separately from their homes and we've been able. Arrange that with facilities that we actually have for training purposes and so that will be quarantined in those particular facilities separately and those people in they've been down there helping for a while now, How long have they been there? the people that we've sent down arrived yesterday at 30 'clock in 00, I'm sorry, I do apologize. They have been they afford just on two weeks. They will be returning to Darwin at the end of this week. so. On Sunday, they'll start to come back to the territory. So just to provide comment to lend we thank those staff who have left their homes to pet into state to support other Australians and here in the territory. we certainly have been on the receiving end of support and we certainly were very appreciative so doing our bit for Australia, but just making sure that territorially our health and safety comes first out here in the Territory. I'm happy to take any other questions so tomorrow we should be seeing our first lot of those forced hotel quarantines getting a. At the moment today, go through their own health checks to make sure that they're all sweet to be released. so the Northern territory acted early and we put in place tough measures to protect territories and it's about saving lives that simply putting it down at the Corona virus knows no boundaries knows no borders so anyone as we said, just a couple of weeks ago, arriving into the territory, I had to go into that forced quarantine and this is to make sure that we stop the spread of Corona virus in the Northern territory. we thank those people for entering those facilities and and for. Sitting there and hanging out so to speak for a couple of weeks and appreciate that at times, it was frustrating for them, but it's about saving lives and they now free to go about their business. but what we have seen from these measures is the protection for the broader community and we've seen a significant slowing of the numbers coming into the territory and as the chief Minister says, we usually love visitors, but now is not the time to come and visit the territory this morning, the deputy CMO said any Australian with symptoms should ask their GDP to be tested will our testing criteria in the territory the expanded anytime in the future. All of our testing has been based on clinical decisions and that has been the whole way through what we saw is. Paul Kelly announced that three GPS through the Primary Health Networks are than anyone symptomatically will be tested for covered 19 so certainly here in the Northern Church. We're no different. the first thing people need to remember territories need to remember is that we have no community transmission, but we are seeing colds and flu and so if you are feeling symptomatic the symptoms of a cold or flu or if covid- 19, the first thing you must do is quarantine. Self at home, then reach out to your GP or to the hotline you'll be provided with the advice and then the appropriate steps will be taken around caring for you and managing whatever illness you have cabinets meeting today. Do you expect residential the tenancy area to be discussed? Yes, we have identified that we passed legislation earlier this year in the residential tenancy space and we have announced that that commencement will be deferred. That's because during Covered 19, we're dealing with a lot of other things and unfortunately, the time is not right to enact that piece of legislation, but the residential tenancies that. Minister The Prime Minister National Cabinet have identified that we need to support both residential tenants and also businesses, but acknowledging landlords through this process, we need to allow for longer negotiation periods of genuinely based around Corona virus and hardship for people that have lost their jobs. so we have been looking at the legislative amendments. We're hoping to finalize that we have course we'll continue to consult with those in the real estate sector and businesses and then they'll be legislative changes. I anticipate what do you expect Parliament to be recalled in in a week or was it more like a couple of weeks? we Have been working on the legislation. Obviously the principles came out of National Cabinet. Every jurisdiction is different how you implement that being the Northern territory and a territory adds another layer of complexity, but we've been working hard on that legislation and we expect it to go through the parliamentary process and we certainly will provide an opportunity for the consultation on the bill and also the timing you know we won't suddenly recall Parliament for 40 - eight hours time. We're certainly give people notice, but we haven't finalized those arrangements yet, but given Stressful the economic situation is right now for a lot of people surely people would want to see the government to come through this fairly quickly. Absolutely we're acting as efficiently as we can on this legislation and when you consider that traditionally legislation takes a many months if not years to to prepare. we have been working very quickly. We know the businesses we know residential tenants. We know territories are doing it really tough, but we also need to make sure we get that legislatively correct and so we're in the final stages and we certainly look forward to taking that into the parliament. Coming weeks to give people that certainty and it's around key principles, allowing the negotiation period to be extended for tenants and landlords principles such as that that will we hope provide some ease during this very difficult time, but Corona virus none of us could have imagined that a health emergency would cause such an economic emergency that would have such an impact on so many aspects every aspect of our life just in this calendar, Sky Cruise ship of niggas cold and the case was hurting hard today and the judge said. This case seems to be one with this certainly some argument to be made for an exception, so you know to the Health Minister's determination on corn like vessels as a leading member of the International Committee of Nations, Australia, you know it has to be able to find a just and humanitarian solution for this vessel. Why hasn't the government? I guess be able to find a Justin humanitarian solution so fast. That matter has just been heard in the court. I haven't been briefed on that outcome, but what we have seen is we've seen cruise ships from around the world order to their home ports. Many of these are have they sail under the flag of countries in the Caribbean and overseas and so they have been told to head to their home port. But of course, there's been a humanitarian aspect all the way along and I can point to some of the ships off the Coast of New South Wales, where they have been provided with supplies. this vessel has no passengers on board. It's just a crew and so we have. Have said the whole time that it needs to go to its home port. It's not welcome here in the territory. our job is to protect territorial but we of course we'll look at any decision that's been made by the court and no matter where a vessel is in the world. we would expect if there is an emergency of humanitarian aspect for that to be dealt with and I have said that in my previous comments with the Tenancy Act, which you envisage that part of that will be preventing landlords from evicting people through the hardship or do you have the power to prevent that that's one of the aspects that they. Is being looked at for us, we would prefer to see if there was a longer time frame for a tenant and a landlord to be able to negotiate and it's important that the tenants can't just simply decide that all because of Corona virus. they're not gonna pay their rent. That's not what this is about. this is about people that have lost their source of income. their business might have collapsed that their job is no longer there that the retail the hospitality sector, we know that those people have been absolutely devastated by Corona virus and the implications from it so we would like to see good faith and we are hearing stories stories where landlords are reducing rent but let. Also have bills to pay pay sorry, so we need to make sure that everybody is fairly treated, but that's it's about extending those time frames and making sure that there is processes in place to support both the tenant and the landlord well tell us about the Alice Springs facility like the one. I'm here at Howard Springs last couple. yes. so in Alice Springs we have a subacute facility as far as you would call it here in the terror in the top and sorry we've got roll down hospital and then we've got the Howard Springs. Facility as you mentioned so it's around managing what we could see with Corona virus we've seen overseas hundreds and hundreds of cases we've got field hospitals set up in New York City. people wouldn't have imagined that just a few short months ago, so territorial need to be reassured that even though we're not seeing rising cases of Corona virus, we have strong plans in place should we see an outbreak of Corona buyers? We thank everybody for what they're doing the physical distancing staying at home. making sure if you're ill that you are really quarantining yourself, but territories can be reassured that we are prepared right across the Northern territory from urban context to remote context to deal with the potential outbreak of Corona virus. How many what I guess I'll capacity to test now last question how many touch do we have so in terms of testing, we've done nearly 3400 covid- 19 tests in the Northern territory. we have our testing facility here in Darwin and that is where the majority of tests are being undertaken. We do have a very. Small number of the region and a testing facility in Central Australia and that is being clinically used for potentially the most severe cases so territories can again be reassured. The testing regime is there to support them. Of course, we wanna preserve that stock, but if someone needs a test at their doctor, their health professional says they need it. They will get that test. we have secured the transport roots and I'd like to acknowledge the Minister for Transport Evola. we're making sure that everything that needs to happen for someone. Get a clinical diagnosis, no matter where they live in the territory that pathway is there. I mean we've had last question please so we've had zero cases for a few days running now. you know people are getting a little bit. You know is there any chance that we keep the borders closed, but you know the rest of the NT can open up just at a possibility. We have no community transmission as I said yesterday, we have gone over a week now without any cases and I think territories for that, but we must become. And I will not give false promises pretend that in a few short weeks, this will be over it won't be and what we've seen overseas is when a restriction is eased, you'll see a correlation in the rise of number of Corona virus cases. so I know it's difficult for territorial, but let's just be grateful that we're healthy that we're not seeing community transmission but as a terrorist mister say what has happened in Tasmania, one case can quickly spread and shut down two hospitals. That is how rapidly this virus can. Spread and we must have become complacent to it. Thank you very much.