Coronavirus: PM wants state borders reopened for Christmas

Australia should be reopened by Christmas and move towards a positive 2021, the Prime Minister says. DO YOU AGREE? VOTE IN OUR POLL

Australia should be reopened by Christmas and move towards a positive 2021, Prime Minister Scott Morrison says as he pushes for a new road map for lifting restrictions.

It would be to the road map agreed to by National Cabinet in May, which saw Queensland briefly open its borders in July before the Victorian second wave.

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Mr Morrison said he would work on a plan similar through National Cabinet, including a national hot spot definition, which will be presented to them on Friday.

“We must return to the ambitions that we set out in May for that plan to open up Australia again by Christmas,” he said.

“We should aim for Australians to be able to go to work, to be able to be with their family at Christmas, and to return to visit their friends, and to look forward to a positive 2021.

“We cannot resign Australia to being a dislocated nation under COVID-19.”

He said he wanted to work with states and territories to reactivate the road map to lift restrictions, once the medical advice and Victorian situation allowed.

“There are borders that are in place now. And that is understandable,” Mr Morrison said.

“But what we have to work to do is to let Australians know that by Christmas they will be able to come together.”