Northern Territory Police have issued on-the-spot fines to three people who travelled into the NT from a declared hotspot without an exemption, less than a week after the government announced major changes to its border policy. 

NT Chief Minister Michael Gunner last week banned interstate travellers from using Howard Springs as a "halfway house", amid an influx of international repatriation flights and a surge in domestic demand. 

He said people relocating to the Territory or travelling for work purposes or compassionate reasons would be required to get an approved exemption to quarantine at one of the NT's "gold standard" quarantine facilities. 

He added that NT residents returning from hotspots would have an "express lane home", and would not be required to apply for an exemption but would still need to go into quarantine.

Over the weekend, a 24-year-old woman, a 34-year-old woman, and a 40-year-old man travelled separately without an exemption into Darwin from Melbourne, where the Delta strain has spread across multiple suburbs, driven by cases where a source of the infection is still not known.

NT Police said the people were questioned by authorities prior to them leaving Victoria, but authorities later discovered one had lied about her whereabouts. 

Incident Controller Sachin Sharma reasserted police would be taking a "zero tolerance approach". 

Fifteen people were refused entry at Darwin Airport on Monday. 

“Authorities are checking each border entry form upon arrival. If you are providing false information about your whereabouts, we will know. If you are expecting to be allowed into the Territory without an exemption, you will not be," she said. 

“You must have an exemption in place prior to arriving in the Northern Territory if you are travelling from a declared hotspot or exposure sites and you are not an NT resident.

“These directions are in place to keep Territorians safe. If you choose to come to the Territory, you must obey by these rules ... this is a serious situation and we will continue to enforce CHO directions."

NT Police said two of the travellers were sent home on the next flight, while the other will be staying overnight at the Howard Springs quarantine facility before boarding a plane to Victoria on Sunday. 

NT Police said the travellers would be required to each pay a $5,056 fine.

According to the NT government, 236 infringements have been issued in the Territory. 

Loading form...