Prime Minister Scott Morrison has revealed the three-step plan to reopen Australia by July, well ahead of much of the rest of the world.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has revealed the three-step plan to end coronavirus restrictions and create a "COVID-safe society and economy" by July.
The framework was agreed to by state and territory leaders at today's national cabinet meeting, but each will get the final say on how quickly they move through the stages based on the status of the disease.
"We know we need to be careful to preserve our gains, (but) if we wish to reclaim the ground we lost, we cannot be too timid," Mr Morrison told reporters.
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Around the world, news networks covered the announcement. CNN wrote that "local transmission has been curbed" and the "outbreak (is) now considered broadly under control".
Australia has recorded 6912 cases of COVID-19, with 3047 in New South Wales, 1467 in Victoria, 1045 in Queensland, 439 in South Australia, 552 in Western Australia, 225 in Tasmania, 107 in the Australian Capital Territory and 30 in the Northern Territory.
Australia's death toll remains on 97.
The death toll stands at 97.
This is how today's news played out.
My brilliant colleague, Charis Chang, has pulled together a guide on what each state and territory is doing with Prime Minister Scott Morrison's roadmap for easing restrictions.
After the PM’s press conference this morning, premiers and chief ministers began announcing the timing for the implementation of step-one.
We've got an update on the inquiry into the Ruby Princess, courtesy of Ashlea Witoslawski at AAP, and it's not a good look for Carnival Australia:
The NSW Port Authority reversed its decision to cancel the Ruby Princess’ Sydney booking after the cruise line said it had low coronavirus risk, an inquiry has been told.
The authority, which is responsible for providing a pilot to bring vessels into port, cancelled the booking late on March 18 after the duty harbourmaster received information from NSW Ambulance about two ill passengers needing transportation from the ship.
But the authority’s acting chief operating officer Emma Fensom said she reversed the cancellation in the early hours of March 19 after a conversation with Carnival Australia’s senior director of port operations Paul Mifsud.
Ms Fensom told the inquiry Mr Mifsud said “NSW Health had not said the ambulances were for COVID-19” and that there was no coronavirus on board.
The inquiry was told earlier in the week that Mr Mifsud also told another NSW Port Authority worker on March 18 “it was business as usual” and that the ship had been deemed a low risk.
Commissioner Bret Walker SC asked if Ms Fensom tried to confirm the information with NSW Health.
“He wasn’t a doctor, let alone the ship’s doctor. And he’s not an ambulance officer. So … it stood to reason that all he was doing was, at best, passing on something somebody else had told him,” Mr Walker said.
She agreed with Mr Walker and said she did not try to speak with anyone from NSW Health.
Mr Mifsud was questioned later on Friday. He told the inquiry he learned on the afternoon of March 18 from Carnival’s port agents that NSW Health would not be boarding the ship because of its low risk status.
China said Friday it supports a World Health Organization-led review which Australia and the US have insisted is a necessity.
China said the WHO could look into the origins of the global health crisis "after the pandemic is over".
The comments from foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying came as China has faced increasing global pressure in recent weeks to allow an international investigation into the origins of the pandemic.
The review should be conducted in an “open, transparent and inclusive manner” under the leadership of World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Hua said at a briefing.
But she added that it should be at an “appropriate time after the pandemic is over”.
China also stressed that any inquiry should be based on the International Health Regulations, and be authorised by the World Health Assembly or Executive Committee – the WHO’s dual governing bodies.
Numerous countries including France, Germany and Britain have urged greater transparency from China over its handling of the virus, while the US and Australia have also led calls for an international inquiry into the origins of the pandemic.
— AFP
As of 8pm Friday, Australia has recorded 6912 cases of coronavirus, but 6079 of those have recovered.
NSW has 3047, Victoria has 1467, Queensland has 1045, SA has 439, WA has 552, Tasmania has 225, the ACT has 107 and the NT has 30.
Australia's death toll remains on 97.
Newspapers around the world reacted to Australia's bold three-point plan to reopen.
"The country has now tested over 730,000 people for the virus, with 6,900 confirmed cases and 97 deaths," read a story in today's edition of The New York Times.
"The slow reopening was met with cautious support by many Australians."
CNN wrote that "local transmission has since been curbed" and the "outbreak (is) now considered broadly under control".
And Bloomberg wrote that Australia's "success in flattening the curve of new coronavirus infections allows it to relax lockdown restrictions".
In the UK, The Independent wrote that: "While the country has been hailed for successfully containing the disease and preventing local hospitals being swamped by coronavirus patients, the lockdown measures have still taken a devastating toll on the economy."
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.”
— AAP
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has delivered an update via Twitter.
More than 127,000 Victorians were tested this week and the results are not expected until Sunday.
Mr Andrews says changing course before we know the results of those tests would be irresponsible.
Australian Medical Association President Tony Bartone explained why different states and territories are reopening at different rates.
He told the ABC's Patricia Karvelas: "It's important to understand that we are a wide continent."
"We've got different outcomes in different parts of that," Dr Bartone said.
"And because of the measures that certain states and territories have put in place, they're able to progress, and, indeed, the Northern Territory is ahead of where the announcement today is already, you might say, in terms of its responsiveness.
"By understanding what the level, or burden, of the disease is in your community, by understanding the measures that you've got in place and your ability to quickly isolate and identify and contact trace, you are able to deal with any potential outbreaks when and if they arise and, yes, they will arise along the way."
The Victorian Libs are firing shots at the Premier today.
Another wave of Covid-19 is surging across one Aussie state, with authorities urging residents to have a new booster jab.
The apology follows a major report into Australia’s response to the pandemic that found trust in vaccination programs has declined.
Australia’s health minister is issuing a grim warning about the country’s ability to weather another pandemic.