"We've got our poor brethren down in places like New South Wales that are allowed to have 10 people in a venue, here we can have 10 people on one table."

Who would have thought it? NT leading the country? To the pub first, of course. Folks, this is the face of the future, and it's just around the corner for Australia, thanks to a fantastic effort by the country: Good news for the economy? I think so. More to come- and soon! No deaths recorded in the NT, no cases of local transmission, 30 cases only in total, all recovered, no new cases for weeks- NT, an amazing result. Still need to be careful tho.
The new normal. They are looking towards how to open the borders- carefully. They are calling it-the eradication stage.

NT coronavirus restrictions continue to lift, with pubs, gyms and beauty salons reopening

Posted Yesterday, updated 6 hours ago

The Northern Territory has continued to ease its tough COVID-19 restrictions — allowing pubs, gyms, cafes and nail salons to reopen with extra hygiene measures and two-hour time limits in place.

Key points:

• Roughly 175,000L of beer has been delivered to the Northern Territory in the last week
• Chief Minister Michael Gunner said about 3,000 people were getting back to work
• He also said pubs had been closed for 53 days and "you've all deserved that beer"

Darwin proprietor Jason Hanna owns several eateries across the Top End including The Deck Bar, Chow, Lazy Susan's and Good Times Bar & Grill.

Mr Hanna has been up since 3:00am trying to get some of his restaurants ready to reopen at midday and expects Territorians to come out en masse to support local businesses and quench their thirst.

"I think I might not have ordered enough beer [although] we've got buckets of corona on special all day, just to dig it in," he said.

"We've got our poor brethren down in places like New South Wales that are allowed to have 10 people in a venue, here we can have 10 people on one table.

By 12:15pm, Darwin's Deck Bar was already busy.(ABC News: Kate Ashton)

"We are pretty blessed up here, the weather's 26C nice and cool, the beers flowing and the kitchens ready to go."

Darwin restauranteur Jason Hanna says he's been up since 3:00am trying to get some of his restaurants up and running.(ABC News: Kate Ashton)

Territorians 'deserved' a drink

Northern Territory Chief Minister Michael Gunner said he was excited about the 3,000 people who were back at work on Friday.

Industry peak body Hospitality NT said about 450 food and drink venues reopened across the Territory, with more expected to open on June 5 in the third stage of restrictions easing.

Mr Gunner thanked Territorians for listening to health advice and making the NT the "safest place in Australia".

"It's been 53 days and I think you've all deserved that beer," he said.

Sydneysider Charlotte Dubois said she was overjoyed to "shove it in my Sydney friends' faces".(ABC News: Matt Garrick)

Shenannigans, one of the bars on Darwin's popular drinking mile Mitchell Street, booked out completely by opening time at midday.

Sydneysider Charlotte Dubois was among the first to the bar.

She said she'd been in Darwin six weeks and due to coronavirus, this was her first chance at a pint in the Top End town.

"I can't wait to shove it in my Sydney friends' faces," she said.

Jay Robertson one of the first punters to get a Guinness poured on Darwin's popular drinking mile, Mitchell Street.(ABC News: Matt Garrick)

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-05-15/nt-coronavirus-restrictions-ease-in-pubs-cafes/12251306