The Northern Territory will push ahead with plans to lift border restrictions from July 17 but will continue to target travellers from coronavirus hot spots, forcing them into quarantine.
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Chief Minister Michael Gunner says people coming into the Territory will also need to sign a declaration that they have not been through a hot spot in the previous 28 days.
Anyone found to have lied on a statutory declaration could face a jail term of up to three years.
"If you are from interstate and you live in a hot spot area, your own government is telling you the area is not safe and you should be in lockdown," Mr Gunner said on Friday.
"If you are meant to be in lockdown, then you shouldn't be leaving your home, you shouldn't be coming here.
"If you leave your home and you do come here, we will lock you down and if you break our rules, we can lock you up."
Mr Gunner said police would continue to monitor the Territory's borders for at least two weeks after the lifting of restrictions, with the isolation measures related to hot spots to remain in force until at least early August.
He said measures would also be put in place to lock down specific communities should virus infections be identified in Darwin or in regional centres.
"We will do whatever it takes to crush corona again," he said.
"We have been a fortress in the Territory, the safest in the nation, and I acknowledge that being the safest makes the next step scarier.
"I want us to stay the safest, I'm confident we will, but the hard truth is we can't stay shut forever."
Mr Gunner said it was possible the current surge in COVID-19 cases in Melbourne, with 30 new infections reported on Friday, would be contained by July 17.
But he said it was equally possible that other hot spots may have emerged by then.
"So this is about being prepared," he said.
"This way, we are ready and we do not make ourselves vulnerable to anyone, living anywhere."
NT Police Commissioner Jamie Chalker said the current outbreak of coronavirus cases in Victoria should serve as a warning on how quickly the virus could still spread.
He said that meant it was vital for Territorians with family and friends wanting to visit from other regions to emphasise the risks that remained and the action required to keep people safe.
"We are vulnerable if people are going to come up and be belligerent, and not respect what we're trying to put in place here." the commissioner said.
"If we work together, I have a strong level of confidence that we will be able to mitigate any occurrence of COVID-19 in the Territory."
Australian Associated Press
