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Coronavirus live news Australia: Scott Morrison announces three-step plan to ease restrictions after national cabinet meeting – latest update Coronavirus live news Australia: Scott Morrison announces three-step plan to ease restrictions after national cabinet meeting – latest update
(32 minutes later)
Prime minister says national cabinet has agreed that it hopes to have moved through these steps by July, but pace will be up to states and territories. Follow all the news, livePrime minister says national cabinet has agreed that it hopes to have moved through these steps by July, but pace will be up to states and territories. Follow all the news, live
Brendan Murphy is giving some clarification around the loosening on restrictions National Cabinet has agreed to in “step one”, but stresses not all of the states agree on all of the measures. Andrews likens the elements of step one in the rollback of restrictions to a menu.
He says that when he makes announcements on Monday, “it will take some time for different sectors, for different parts of the Victorian economy and Victorian community to be able to be ready for that change”.
Andrews says there will be an easing of some rules, but wont go into specifics until next week.
Andrews says that nothing will change in Victoria today, or over the weekend.
Victorian premier Daniel Andrews is speaking now.
Here are those slides on steps one, two and three:
And that’s all from the prime minister and chief health officer. They’ve just outlined a three-step roadmap for a reopening of the economy by July. We’ll now wait to hear from the premiers about when exactly stage one will begin to be implemented.
He’s asked about US secretary of state Mike Pompeo seemingly walking back his comments about there being “enormous evidence” for the theory that the Covid-19 outbreak occurred in a Wuhan lab. He’s since conceded it could be wrong.
Morrison says:
Morrison is asked about the alleged super fraud:
Brendan Murphy declines to swing at a question about whether NRL players should be forced to have flu shots:
There is no threshold for winding back the easing of restrictions though. It’s “case specific”, Morrison says.
Morrison’s general stance here seems to be that, if and when outbreaks occur, the general policy would not be to turn-around on easing restrictions:
But, he says, the government will “act on the health advice” in the event of a larger outbreak or significant rises in case numbers.
Morrison says he wants to see students back in classrooms as part of step one:
Morrison is asked about broader international travel and says he “can’t see that happening any time soon”.
Pubs reopening are part of step three, by the way (unless you’re in the Northern Territory).
Brendan Murphy is giving some clarification around the loosening on restrictions national cabinet has agreed to in “step one”, but stresses not all of the states agree on all of the measures.
He says step one means five people visiting a household, or 10 people in an outdoor gathering.He says step one means five people visiting a household, or 10 people in an outdoor gathering.
On borders, Morrison says interstate closures have never been a recommendation out of national cabinet and that premiers have taken those decisions “unilaterally” so it will be up to states to remove them.On borders, Morrison says interstate closures have never been a recommendation out of national cabinet and that premiers have taken those decisions “unilaterally” so it will be up to states to remove them.
On international borders, Morrison says the government is speaking to New Zealand and is open to considering opening borders for international students in the future.On international borders, Morrison says the government is speaking to New Zealand and is open to considering opening borders for international students in the future.
Morrison:
On the Victorian meatworks outbreak, Morrison says “they [outbreaks] are going to occur” but that that Covid-safe app “would have sped things up” in terms of contact tracing.
He says the code behind the app will be released later today.
At the top of the press conference Morrison said treasury modelling says these steps will see 850,000 jobs restored in the months ahead.
He says that number includes those who may be on jobseeker or jobkeeper now.
Morrison is taking questions now. On the timing of step one, he says the premiers and chief ministers will announce their own timetables.
He says step three will be “a much more broader opening” but that there is more discussion about what that will look like.
“But step one, well defined, step two, a bit more work to be done, and step three, still a lot of discussion to be had before we can well define it properly.”
Murphy says step two “we’re looking at larger gatherings of around 20, potentially in some states, they may look at some venues to go more than that.
It includes opening things such as gyms, indoor fitness, beauty therapy, cinemas, and galleries. He says some interstate travel “may recur in that stage”.
The chief health officer, Brendan Murphy, is now outlining the steps in more detail. He has slides. Murphy says step one is “cautious” and “gentle”.
Morrison says national cabinet has agreed that it hopes to have moved through these three steps by July, but the pace will be up to the states and territories. He says people shouldn’t expect step one to start “on day one”.
Movement from step to step, he says, will depend on “medical evidence [that] suggests that further easing will not present an undue risk, [that] widespread testing is identifying community transmission, and thirdly, public health actions are able to trace cases and trap local outbreaks”.
Step three, Morrison says, will see gatherings of up to 100 people. But its timing, he says, will depend on the success of the previous steps.
“But most workers, by then, will be back in the workplace. Interstate travel will likely resume. Pubs and clubs with some restrictions will be open. And also possibly gaming venues. As I said, step three, step three, but also step two, will get greater definition as we move through the success of step one.”
Step two, Morrison says, “will allow larger size gatherings up to 20 people, including for venues such as cinemas and galleries, more retail openings on sector based Covid-safe plans, organised community sport, and beauty parlours, and you’ll be pleased to know, barre classes open once again”.