Prime Minister Scott Morrison says it’s the government’s goal to move through a three-step plan to achieve a COVIDSafe economy by July of this year.
After discussions with states and premiers this morning, in a much anticipated National Cabinet meeting, Morrison has outlined the plan for the weeks and months ahead as we begin to emerge from weeks of isolation.
"So many Australians are hurting right now, because of painful separation from their loved ones. Livelihoods that they've spent a lifetime building that've been stripped away, and the uncertainty about their futures and their family's future.
"Be encouraged that we are successfully making our way through this difficult battle, and we're certainly doing it better than many and most. We have been fighting the virus and we are winning," he said in a lunchtime press conference.
The three-step plan and national framework announced by the Prime Minister is as follows:
Step One.
- Gatherings up to 10 people in businesses and in public, and five guests in your own home.
- Children back in classrooms and in playgrounds in their communities.
- Working from home, if able.
- Recreational activities such as golf, lap swimming and boot camps.
- Retail and small cafes and restaurants reopening.
- Outdoor bootcamps restarting.
- Local and regional travel.
- An easing of restrictions for funerals with up to 30 attendees, outdoors, and 10 at weddings.
Step Two.
- Gatherings of 20 people in your home, business or public spaces.
- More retail openings on sector based COVID safe plans.
- Working from home, if able.
- Organised community sport to start.
- Gyms reopening.
- Beauty parlours reopening.
- Amusement parks, galleries and cinemas reopening.
- Interstate travel.
- Caravan and camping grounds reopening.
Step Three.
- Gathering sizes increased to 100.
- Return to workplace.
- Nightclubs, food courts, saunas reopening.
- All interstate travel.
- Consider Cross-Tasman, pacific island and international students travel.
The Prime Minister says that there isn't a "set timeline" for these steps to be enforced, and it's up to states and premiers to implement each stage as they see fit.
Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy added that: "Step one is well defined, step two - a bit more work to be done - and step three, there's still a lot of discussion to be had before we can well define it properly".
"The pace, will totally be up to the states and territories. [They've] asked me to stress there should be no expectation of step one starting on day one," said Scott Morrison.
WATCH: Morrison outlining step one.
