Reserve Bank of Australia deputy governor Guy Debelle says the jobs recovery will be a "slow grind" even if the unemployment rate does not hit a forecast 10 per cent, while flagging monetary policy stimulus measures including buying more government debt to recover from the COVID-19 recession.

Dr Debelle said Western Australia's border closure was contributing to skills shortages in the resource-rich state and the lockdown in Victoria would slice 2 per cent off national economic output in the September quarter.