States ease virus restrictions
States and territories in Australia are continuing to ease coronavirus restrictions as the prime minister warns there’s still a mountain to climb.
Scott Morrison says Australians have shown incredible resilience in the face of both the health and economic crises.
‘‘We have managed to do better than our fears and even our hopes,’’ he told a CEDA summit in Canberra yesterday.
Morrison says the economic recovery ahead will be very hard.
‘‘There is a mountain yet to climb.’’
The government has announced an extra $1.5 billion towards ‘‘shovel-ready’’ small priority projects around the country, including $500 million for road works.
They include the inland rail project between Melbourne and Brisbane, the Marinus underwater power cable between Tasmania and Victoria and South Australia’s Olympic Dam extension.
Emergency town water projects in New South Wales and road, rail and iron ore projects in Western Australia are also on the list.
In all, the projects are expected to generate 66,000 direct and indirect jobs.
Meanwhile, Queensland has doubled the number of people allowed to attend funerals, with 100 people able to go to services from today.
New South Wales has scrapped its attendance cap on funerals, effective immediately.
From July 1, the 50-person limit at indoor venues – including pubs and restaurants – will be replaced with the ‘‘one person per 4 square metres’’ rule.
Health authorities are continuing to investigate how a
Australia’s prime minister teacher at a southern Sydney primary school contracted coronavirus.
Victorians will be able to drink in pubs and clubs without having to order a meal from next week.
The venues will be allowed to host up to 50 people, as will cafes and restaurants.
Border restrictions have altered in the Northern Territory, with new interstate arrivals now allowed to quarantine for a fortnight at a place of their own choice instead of government-nominated facilities.
–AP
‘‘We have managed to do better than our fears and even our hopes.’’ Scott Morrison