The Northern Territory Chief Minister has unleashed on anti-vaxxers in an extraordinary rant and vowed to keep the border shut until every worker in high-risk industries gets a Covid jab.
Speaking on Wednesday, Mick Gunner said his stage 3 reopening plan would involve 'the strongest vaccination rules in Australia'.
'I know I'm supposed to say I respect people's choices and reasons for not getting vaccinated, I don't. I don't understand it. I don't respect it.' Mr Gunner said.
'You don't get to choose to burden out health system because you refuse to follow preventative health measures. You don't get to choose to be a spreader of a deadly virus in our community,' he continued.
'And you absolutely cannot choose to infect Territorians who can't get vaccinated yet like our young kids.'
The NT is in a '50-day race' to get 80 per cent of the population vaccinated (pictured: Darwin in August)
The Northern Territory is aiming to have 80 per cent of its eligible population fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by early November.
If it does, sweeping changes will be introduced as part of the territory's reopening plan to jurisdictions where the virus is present.
'The NT cannot keep Covid out forever,' Mr Gunner told reporters on Wednesday.
'The key to these next steps being a success, the key to the territory staying safe and open, is vaccines. We are now in a 50-day race to freedom.'
To ease restrictions more than 80 per cent of the population over 16 will need to be fully vaccinated.
This includes remote Indigenous communities, some of which currently have vaccination rates below 10 per cent.
There will also need to be 'strong and growing' vaccination rates among 12 to 15-year-olds.
The NT Chief Minister said he would introduce the strictest vaccine rules in the country
If this is achieved, vaccinated people from COVID-19 hotspots will be able to enter the NT and quarantine at home or another suitable location.
