Coronavirus updates: Scott Morrison reveals how Australia will come out of lockdown

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has outlined three steps to reopening Australia after almost two months of lockdown, but emphasised each state needed to announce their own timelines and "cut and paste" from his recommendations.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has said "every Australian matters, every life, every future" during his address to the nation about how life begins returning to normal.

Mr Morrison, speaking after chairing the National Cabinet meeting in Canberra, said the country's leaders agreed to a three-step plan that enabled Australia to "walk before we run". 

Under the Prime Minister's plans announced today, stage one includes Australians being allowed to gather in groups of 10, and retail stores and cafes/restaurants being allowed to reopen but with trading restrictions.

Stage two would include larger gatherings of up to 20 people, including galleries and cinemas, as well as the return of organised community sport.

Stage three would include gatherings of up to 100 people.

The state and territory leaders have reacted to the news, issuing their statements about what they will change over the next few days. 

Follow the updates in our live blog below:

Originally published as Coronavirus updates: Scott Morrison reveals how Australia will come out of lockdown

Updates

4:56 pm February 8, 2025

Real Estate Institute of Victoria vice president Adam Docking said his organisation was “happy to stick with the government regulations” until it was safe for public auctions to resume as normally as possible.

He noted that online auctions were effectively filling the void.

“The real estate industry has adapted very quickly to the new rules and regulations. And buyers have really embraced what’s happening,” he said.

But he said the REIV was eagerly anticipating a return to business as usual, at which point Melbourne would “recement itself as the auction capital of the world”.

4:56 pm February 8, 2025

Professor Murphy spoke about how medical authorities were handling outbreaks.

"We know (the virus) is incredibly infectious," Murphy said. "We've seen from one wedding 35 people infected. So it's not surprising that when you get an outbreak in a workplace such as this, it will spread significantly."

"The important thing is not the size of the outbreak, the important thing is the response," he continued.

"And the response is testing everybody, every contact, locking the place down, closing it down, quarantining and isolating."

4:56 pm February 8, 2025

Thanks for joining us for our live coverage of the changes announced by Scott Morrison and other state and territory leaders.

See a recap below of how it unfolded.

6:07 pm May 8, 2020

And that's a wrap...

Shoba Rao

Thanks for joining us for our live coverage of the changes announced by Scott Morrison and other state and territory leaders.

See a recap below of how it unfolded.

6:06 pm May 8, 2020 Highlight

AFL won't enforce flu jab unlike NRL

Shoba Rao

The AFL won’t mandate its players to have a flu vaccination ahead of the season resumption and will leave the decision up to footballers and their respective club doctors.

NRL players are required to either have the flu vaccination or sign waiver forms as rugby league works towards a planned May 28 season restart. But the AFL maintains flu shots will be at the discretion of players and club staff, not a league-wide policy.

“While the AFL recommends players and officials to get a yearly flu shot, the decision is ultimately that of the player and club doctor as to whether they wish to do so,” an AFL spokesperson said.

On Friday morning, Gold Coast Suns captain David Swallow questioned whether flu vaccinations should be compulsory in the AFL if players weren’t comfortable with them.

“I’m not too sure it should be mandatory,” Swallow told reporters. “Everyone is going to have their different beliefs and opinions on this matter. “I don’t know whether we should be forcing them to do anything they wouldn’t be comfortable doing.

“I know others would have a different opinion on that, but that’s my opinion.” The NRL had amended its original waiver form on Thursday after several players refused to sign it on religious or conscientious grounds.

On Friday, three Gold Coast Titans players, including Bryce Cartwright, were stood down by the NRL for refusing to take the flu shot, on the advice of Queensland health officials.

The other two players were believed to be Nathan Peats and Brian Kelly. Peats later said on Twitter he was not anti-vaccinations and had avoided the flu jab due to an adverse experience while at South Sydney back in 2012 – but was now planning to have the shot on Friday afternoon.

Earlier on Friday, Prime Minister Scott Morrison backed any decision by state governments to apply a ‘no jab, no play’ policy to the NRL.

– AAP

4:29 pm May 8, 2020

NSW Premier issues statement saying no change

Shoba Rao

Gladys Berejiklian has issued a statement today saying: "NSW welcomes the framework for the further easing of restrictions endorsed today by the National Cabinet.

"This framework provides a clear pathway to what citizens can look forward to in coming months.

"The NSW Government has already eased a number of restrictions listed under the first stage of the plan.

"As I stated earlier this week – there will be no further change to restrictions in NSW this week.

"NSW will continue to keep our citizens updated on our path forward."

4:08 pm May 8, 2020 Highlight

How Tassie has reacted to the PM's changes

Shoba Rao

Tasmanian premier Peter Gutwein said from from Monday:

• 20 people will be able to attend funerals, up from 10
• Aged care visits will move to one visit per week
• Nationals parks to open for exercise, but only for people who live within 30km
• Tasmania will move to Stage 1 on May 18, subject to public health advice.

This would allow:

• Indoor and outdoor gatherings of up to 10 people
• Up to five visitors to a home
• Restaurants, cafes and other venue open for up to 10 people at a time
• Border controls unchanged

From May 25, primary school students, Year 11 and 12 students would return to school.

From June 9, high school students from year 7 to 10 will go back to school.

From June 15, stage 2 will be introduced depending on advice.

At this point, gatherings will increase to 20 people at a time, indoor and outdoor areas including restaurants, cafes, cinemas, museums, galleries, places of worship and weddings. Up to 50 people would be allowed to attend a funeral. Gyms and bootcamps would be open to 20 people

Beauty services including tattoo parlours would also reopen

Indoor sport would also be allowed.

3:29 pm May 8, 2020

Banks get banking commission reprieve

Shoba Rao

Misbehaving bankers and financiers have been given a six-month reprieve thanks to the coronavirus.

The Morrison government has delayed the implementation of commitments associated with the banking royal commission so lenders can concentrate on the pandemic. Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said the deferral would allow the financial services industry to support customers and staff during the crisis.

4:56 pm February 8, 2025

Dr Rachael Murrihy, clinical psychologist and director of the Kidman Centre UTS, said she expected to see an increasing number of Australians with mental health issues as restrictions were eased.

“You’re having people say that the first wave of this pandemic was the virus itself. And the second wave is now the social and economic fallout of the virus,” Dr Murrihy said.

“We can't predict exactly what that's going to look like, but we can see from previous studies overseas with SARS that – when people come out on the other side of this – there are higher rates of anxiety, higher rates of post-traumatic stress and higher rates of depression.

“So I do think that's something we can expect in a substantial proportion of our population.” 

Dr  Murrihy said preliminary findings from a Monash study found the majority of Australians who responded were already experiencing mild anxiety and depression and 30 per cent were showing moderate levels. 

She said the loosening of restrictions would "spark new uncertainties" for people, many of whom had built new routines around being in isolation. 

– Chloe Lyons

2:50 pm May 8, 2020

Mental health impact of lockdown revealed

Nadia Salemme

Dr Rachael Murrihy, clinical psychologist and director of the Kidman Centre UTS, said she expected to see an increasing number of Australians with mental health issues as restrictions were eased.

“You’re having people say that the first wave of this pandemic was the virus itself. And the second wave is now the social and economic fallout of the virus,” Dr Murrihy said.

“We can't predict exactly what that's going to look like, but we can see from previous studies overseas with SARS that – when people come out on the other side of this – there are higher rates of anxiety, higher rates of post-traumatic stress and higher rates of depression.

“So I do think that's something we can expect in a substantial proportion of our population.” 

Dr  Murrihy said preliminary findings from a Monash study found the majority of Australians who responded were already experiencing mild anxiety and depression and 30 per cent were showing moderate levels. 

She said the loosening of restrictions would "spark new uncertainties" for people, many of whom had built new routines around being in isolation. 

– Chloe Lyons