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The Australian and international news stories you need to know today, Thursday September 3.

Leaked Victorian roadmap shows what's ahead for Melbourne.

It's believed the Victorian government are looking to lift the nightly curfew in Melbourne at the end of this month, according to a leaked draft of a purported two-stage plan to ease the state out of its coronavirus lockdown.

The document, obtained by the Herald Sun and 9News, signals that from September 14, a range of small concessions could be made for metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria.

These include allowing libraries to open and expanding the time for exercise outside the home to two hours a day, from one hour now.

Two people or a household will be able to meet outdoors for social interaction and single persons or single-parent households will be allowed to have a visitor to their home.

Melbourne has been in a strict stage four lockdown for nearly five weeks. Image: Getty.

Then, from September 28, the current 8pm to 5am curfew in Melbourne could be lifted and the phased return of primary and secondary students to schools begin, according to the draft.

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Up to five people, including children, from up to two households will be allowed to meet outdoors for social interaction, the Herald Sun cited the draft as saying.

Permits will no longer be required for childcare and in-home childminding.

Outdoor personal training will be allowed for up to two people per trainer and outdoor pools will open for exercise for up to 20 people at a time.

Premier Daniel Andrews is preparing to announce the government's plan for a pathway out of the current lockdown on Sunday, when he releases separate roadmaps for Melbourne and regional Victoria which are under stage four and stage three restrictions, respectively.

Victoria on Wednesday announced six more deaths from COVID-19 and 90 new infections.

Treasurer blasts "cruel" state border rules.

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg says there are "cruel and confused implications" from strict state border controls, telling A Current Affair last night easing limitations was crucial for our economy. 

Yesterday it was confirmed that Australia is in its worst state since the Great Depression of the 1930s. 

Frydenberg pointed in particular to Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, who he says has "some questions to answer".

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Mr Fyrdenberg said there were "cruel and confused implications" from strict border controls and easing limitations was crucial for the economy, with new data yesterday showing Australia is in the worst state since the Great Depression of the 1930s.

Josh Frydenberg confirmed Australia's recession yesterday. Image: ACA/Nine.

Ms Palaszczuk has come under fire for allowing 400 senior AFL representatives to cross Queensland's closed border to prepare for the state to host the grand final.

"How can it be okay for people to go up to prepare for the footy game and it's not ok to go to hospital for treatment? How does that work?" Frydenberg asked host Tracy Grimshaw.

"How can it be okay that a young woman loses an unborn child because of confusion at our borders?" he added.

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NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has also criticised her northern counterpart, urging Ms Palaszczuk to show "humanity and compassion."

Ms Berejiklian says she has been trying to have positive conversations with Ms Palaszczuk about the issue of borders, but has not been consulted in any decisions.

"Can I be absolutely frank, she has made a decision and isn't willing to talk about that decision and is refusing to budge," Ms Berejiklian told 2GB radio station. "It's not through want of trying." 

Woman live streams her own arrest after organising anti-lockdown protest.

Victorian Police officers have been filmed handcuffing a pregnant woman in her home, accusing her of inciting people to protest the Victorian coronavirus lockdown this coming weekend in a Facebook post.

The video uploaded on the woman’s Facebook page last night has been viewed more than 4.8 million times and made international headlines, attracting widespread condemnation. The footage shows her begging police to just let her "take the post down."

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Officers raided the 28-year-old’s Ballarat home and seized her mobile phone and computer equipment, after she greeted them at the door in pink pyjamas.

"The government has gone to extreme measures and are using scare tactics through the media to prevent the Melbourne protest," her event’s description read. "Here in Ballarat we can be a voice for those in stage four lockdowns."

The woman was charged with incitement and granted bail, and is expected to appear in the Ballarat Magistrates Court on January 25 next year.

Melbourne author charged over baby's death.

A Melbourne media commentator has been charged over the death of her baby daughter in a bathtub.

Fiori Giovanni has lost a bid to ban reporting on her name after Illen Bellinger was found unresponsive at Southbank on July 18.

The 35-year-old commentator, author and keynote speaker is accused of negligence amounting to manslaughter after allegedly leaving Illen unsupervised in the bath.

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Giovanni's two-and-a-half-year-old son was also in the bath at the time but he did not drown, Melbourne Magistrates Court was on Wednesday told.

Giovanni has been charged with manslaughter after the death of her baby girl in July. Image: Facebook.

Giovanni's lawyer Adrian Lewin appeared in court on the woman's behalf, seeking to suppress reporting of her name because of her public profile.

"It's an emotive charge. It will arouse a lot of views, a lot of emotions," Mr Lewin said.

Giovanni, a refugee from the African nation of Eritrea, has written a book about her experiences as a child soldier. She sought asylum in Europe and later moved to Melbourne.

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The lawyer also said Giovanni feared for her safety if her name was linked to the allegation against her, but Magistrate Mia Stylianou declined to suppress Giovanni's name.

The matter due back in court for a committal mention on November 25.

South Australia: Coronavirus free.

South Australia has cleared its last active coronavirus case, taking its run without a new infection to 10 days.

The last case to be resolved was that of a local nurse who had volunteered to travel to Victoria to work in that state's aged care sector.

She had been diagnosed on August 23 and went into quarantine despite showing no symptoms of the virus as the time.

Still considered an active infection on Tuesday, Premier Steven Marshall said the "brave" woman was now clear of the disease.

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SA's clean sheet will put more pressure on the transition committee, which meets against later this week, to further ease some COVID-19 restrictions.

The state's COVID-free status has been confirmed just as schoolies celebrations were significantly curtailed.

Police Commissioner Grant Stevens said the large gatherings usually associated with the three-day event, south of Adelaide, would not be possible this year.

Prince Harry and Meghan sign Netflix deal.

Prince Harry and Meghan have signed a multi-year contract with Netflix to produce different types of programs, the company has confirmed.

The couple - who have moved to California with their son after stepping back from royal duties in the United Kingdom - will make documentaries, docu-series, feature films, scripted shows and children's programming.

Image: Getty.

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"Our focus will be on creating content that informs but also gives hope," the couple said in a statement.

"As new parents, making inspirational family programming is also important to us."

Around the world. 

- Pope Francis has held his first public audience in six months, greeting 500 people at the Vatican palace courtyard.

- Democratic Party presidential nominee Joe Biden has called for the officer who shot Jacob Blake in the back seven times in Kenosha, Wisconsin, to be charged.

- With AAP

Feature image: Facebook/Nine.