A 46-year-old woman has been fined $5,056 for ignoring a stay-at-home order to travel to a remote township in Kakadu National Park.
NT Police Commissioner Jamie Chalker said the woman had a link to the Buff Club, a pub in Stuart Hwy that had been classified a high-risk exposure site.
This meant the woman should have immediately been tested for COVID-19 and hunkered down in self-isolation for 14 days — regardless of the result of her test.
Instead, Commissioner Chalker said the 46-year-old was found in Jabiru, a town within Kakadu National Park, roughly 250km east of Darwin.
"Police engaged with her last night," he said.
"She will be receiving an infringement notice and is currently being transferred to the [Howard Springs] Centre of National Resilience."
NT Chief Minister Michael Gunner said he was disappointed by the woman's actions.
Mr Gunner reassured the Jabiru community that the woman had not tested positive for COVID-19 and was now in quarantine.
"We have cause for concern. If that changes, if there's a positive test result, we will tell people," he said.
People in Jabiru are not currently subject to any COVID-19 restrictions, including the wearing of masks.
Mr Gunner said all COVID-19 results from the Buff Club close contacts had been negative.
Overall, Commissioner Chalker said most people were doing the right thing and he thanked them.
But he urged those failing to wear masks or follow health directions not to be selfish.
"Please, make decisions based on the best interests of your community in this very, very small period of time," he said.
