Ramped-up coronavirus responses on the table as COAG consults with experts

The country’s top experts on the corona­virus, economy, bushfires, drought and mental health will brief a Council of Australian Governments meeting.

Scott Morrison will gather the country’s top experts on the corona­virus, economy, bushfires, drought and mental health to brief premiers and chief ministers during a Council of Australian Governments meeting, as state governments vow to ramp up their responses to the pandemic.

Treasury secretary Steven Kennedy and Reserve Bank of Australia governor Philip Lowe will make special appearances at the Friday meeting in Sydney, as will Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy. National bushfire recovery agency co-ordinator Andrew Colvin, CSIRO chief executive Larry Marshall, Chief Scientist Alan Finkel, NSW Rural Fire Service commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons and Major General Jake Ellwood will be on hand to discuss the black summer fires.

Federal and state funding ­arrangements responding to the coronavirus pandemic are expected to be the No 1 priority, following the Prime Minister’s commitment to a new $1bn deal with the states to cover extra costs on the health system.

The federal government will provide 50 per cent of extra funds but will make an initial advance payment of $100m, which will cover costs incurred by the health crisis back to January 21.

Mr Morrison said he expected the states would look at what they could do to complement the government’s coronavirus package and noted South Australian ­Premier Steven Marshall had already announced a $350m program.

Mr Marshall said he would consider further spending measures in his budget. He said he had reluctantly cancelled next week’s SA trade mission to the US but his message to COAG would be Australia needed to maintain international trade and investment.

Queensland also has a $27m aid package for the tourism industry and is deferring payroll tax for six months for small and medium businesses affected by the virus.

NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet said the state’s stimulus package would increase the health budget as a priority to prepare for an increase in coronavirus transmissions. The stimulus package would also provide relief for small businesses and tourism recovery, and fast-track repairs and upgrades of public assets.

West Australian Premier Mark McGowan flagged his government was weighing up payroll tax relief for small businesses and action on household bills while Northern Territory Chief Minister Michael Gunner said he would review the federal government’s stimulus measures in order to “act quickly” to finalise his second coronavirus package.

Tasmania Premier Peter Gutwein said his state’s response would be “proportionate and ­scalable”.

Additional reporting: Paul Garvey, Amos Aikman, Craig Johnstone, David Penberthy