All non-essential travel to the Northern Territory's 76 remote communities will be banned and a 14-day isolation period could apply for community residents wanting to return home from regional centres under new federal measures aimed at preventing the spread of coronavirus.

Key points: The Commonwealth is planning to introduce expanded travel restrictions to protect remote communities from coronavirus

The Commonwealth is planning to introduce expanded travel restrictions to protect remote communities from coronavirus The NT Chief Minister says the laws will apply to 76 communities, once an order is signed

The NT Chief Minister says the laws will apply to 76 communities, once an order is signed People not involved in essential services will need to self-isolate for 14 days before entering a community

The Prime Minister today announced the Biosecurity Act would be used to restrict people who are not involved in essential services from entering or leaving certain areas in states and territories.

"We'll be using the Health Minister's powers to ensure that we are taking action to restrict travel into remote Indigenous communities to prevent the spread of the coronavirus," Scott Morrison said.

The new regulations are expected to come into force over the coming days, once Health Minister Greg Hunt has signed an order that is still being drafted.

Over the past week, the NT Government and the region's four land councils have banned non-essential travel to remote communities.

But, once enacted, the new measures will go further by providing Commonwealth laws to enforce the rules.

In a statement, NT Chief Minister Michael Gunner said: "I have confirmed with the Federal Government that all 76 remote communities in the NT which asked to be protected should have the Act applied to them".

Minister for Indigenous Australians Ken Wyatt said once the laws were in effect, people would have to undergo a minimum period of isolation — currently 14 days — before entering a prescribed area.

"These rules are aimed at preventing the spread of COVID-19 in remote communities and to rapidly address outbreaks," Mr Wyatt said.

Exemptions will apply for essential services, including health, law and order, education and others.

A designated authority in the Territory, such as a coordinator-general, will also be empowered to permit additional classes of people to enter or leave a community.

At this stage, remote residents are not included in any of the exemptions, meaning if they visit regional centres they may not be allowed to return to their community unless they self-isolate for 14 days, or are given special permission to return.

In Darwin, remote residents will be able to isolate at the Howard Springs quarantine centre once it opens.

However, it is not yet known where remote residents who visit Alice Springs, Tennant Creek, Katherine or Nhulunbuy will be able to self-isolate.

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Northern Land Council chief executive Marion Scrymgour said she was trying to clarify the details of the new measures and urged authorities to resolve accommodation issues before implementing the regulations.

"Where do we accommodate them for 14 days? Things like this have to be worked through before that order is made," she said.

In a statement earlier today, the NT's four land councils said it was essential for residents to remain on country.

"We have never seen anything like the coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic before," they said.

"It is important that we all stay as informed and safe as possible.

"A key message from all land councils for people living on country is that our mob should remain on country and not travel to the major centres unless you really have to."

The latest measures do not go as far as a Special Protection Order covering all the Northern Territory, which had been called for by the Aboriginal Peak Organisations of the NT.