Parliament set to return in August amid NSW outbreak

The Morrison government intends for parliament to proceed as scheduled on August 3, despite several states shutting their borders to Canberra.

Scott Morrison with Speaker Tony Smith. Picture: Gary Ramage

Federal parliament is set to resume next month despite MPs from several states unlikely to attend after Canberra was slapped with travel bans in response to Sydney’s coronavirus outbreak.

Victoria has become the latest state to join Western Australia and South Australia in closing its borders to NSW and the ACT, despite the territory recording no community transmission cases of coronavirus in more than a year. Queensland has yet to shut the border to NSW or the ACT but has warned the situation could change quickly.

The Australian understands the Morrison government intends for parliament to proceed as scheduled on August 3. Parliament’s presiding officers are in discussions with chief medical officer Paul Kelly and ACT authorities about operations for the next sitting week.

MPs who cannot attend parliament in person would be able to participate remotely.