Why people were quarantining in the Territory: Results from the NT Quarantine Centres

Understanding the role quarantine centres played in the broader picture of changed internal migration as a result of COVID-19 is a current research void. Results from two surveys of NT quarantine centre residents are presented to provide a picture of the people who were using quarantine to facilitate their movements within Australia. As expected, we found a significant majority of survey respondents were from Victoria (71%), but the main reason the majority of respondents were in the Territory was to transit to another jurisdiction (45%). Results also include information on who was passing through quarantine to relocate to the Territory and the main reasons for their migration decision. The impacts of COVID-19 on quarantine resident’s physical, mental and financial wellbeing are also presented.