More than 4000 unvaccinated health workers suspended in QLD.

Queensland Health has suspended 4000 healthcare workers with full pay due to their refusal to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

On Monday Health Minister Yvette D’Ath said there were 7,000 people who were yet to be fully vaccinated but 3,000 were on long service or maternity leave.

While she is confident the 110,000 strong work force will cope with the loss, "there will be disruptions."

"I'm not sure what they're waiting for. I implore people to reconsider". Queensland's already stretched health system is facing a new hurdle, with 4,000 frontline workers being stood down for failing to get vaccinated. #9Today pic.twitter.com/3lx8vRq1uI

— The Today Show (@TheTodayShow)

Queensland’s current guidelines require anyone working in the state’s healthcare system to have received their first dose by September 30 and a second dose by late October.

77.8 per cent of the Queensland population has received one jab, with 64.1 per cent double vaccinated.

Scott Morrison rebuffs claim he lied to France about submarines.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has insisted he will not accept "sledging of Australia" over a torn-up $90 billion submarine deal with France.

French President Emmanuel Macron at the weekend accused Mr Morrison of lying to him about ditching the submarine contract in favour of US and UK nuclear-propulsion technology.

Mr Macron told Australian journalists on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Rome "I don't think, I know" when asked if he thought the Australian prime minister lied to him.

"I have a lot of respect and a lot of friendship for your people," Mr Macron said.

"I just say when we have respect, you have to be true and you have to behave in line and consistently with this value."

Prime Minister @ScottMorrisonMP has been accused of leaking private texts between himself and the French President to undermine Emmanuel Macron's claims about the scrapped submarine deal. pic.twitter.com/bLegMJlnnH

— Sunrise (@sunriseon7)

Mr Morrison did not agree with suggestions he lied to the French president.

"No," the prime minister told reporters in Rome when asked if Mr Macron's claim was true.

Speaking from Glasgow, where he is attending the COP26 climate talks, on Monday night, Mr Morrison said, "I must say that the statements that were made, questioning Australia's integrity and the slurs that have been placed on Australia ... I'm not going to cop sledging of Australia.

"I'm not going to cop that on behalf of other Australians."

Mr Morrison maintained Australia was in the process of repairing its relationship with France, saying "we've spoken several times over the last couple of days. I'm sure we'll speak a bit more before I head back to Australia".

"We have much to do and we're always keen and would welcome the involvement of our ongoing partnership with France," he said on Monday.

Australia in September announced it was cancelling its 2016 contract to acquire conventional Attack Class submarines from French company Naval Group. Instead, the government would look at the feasibility of acquiring technology for nuclear-powered vessels from the US and UK under an AUKUS pact.

The shock announcement was kept under tight wraps and infuriated France.

"Bet on scientists", PM tells climate summit as Australian inaction slammed.

In scathing comments on Monday, the former UN climate chief and "architect of the Paris agreement" slammed Australia as "irresponsible," as our PM attends the COP26 climate summit with nothing more than a net zero 2050 commitment.

"I struggle to find an adjective that is politically correct [for Australia]," Christiana Figueres told theABC.

"Honestly, I think what Australia continues to do is so irresponsible."

Scott Morrison has told the summit it will be scientists, not politicians, who come up with the solution to climate change.

They will be the people to come up with the real solutions to climate change, much like they did during the global pandemic, the prime minister said.

‘From Scotland to the World’ 👋🏽🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Good Morning PM Morrison, from Glasgow #COP26 The PM will be greeted in Glasgow by a full-page ad in Scotland’s oldest paper The Sunday Post, featuring a photo of him in parliament with a lump of coal: “Don't let Australia wreck Glasgow” 🔥 pic.twitter.com/VLmDm7i5pE

— Australia Institute (@TheAusInstitute)

"The challenge of combating climate change will be met the same way, and it will be met by people who frankly are largely not in this room," he told the summit in Glasgow on Tuesday (AEST).

"It will be our scientists, our technologists, our engineers, our entrepreneurs, our industrialists and our financiers that will actually chart the path to net zero and it is up to us as leaders of governments to back them in."

Driving the emergence of low emission technologies and encouraging their adoption was at the heart of Australia's plan to reach net zero by 2050, Mr Morrison said.

But he said it was important to do so in a way that does not deny people their livelihoods or the opportunity for a better quality of life - especially for those in developing nations.

Earlier, Mr Morrison announced an additional $500 million in climate financial aid to Australia's Pacific and South East Asian neighbours, bringing its total commitment to $2 billion over the next five years.

"I really wanna see my mum." Pressure mounts on states to reopen border.

Pressure is mounting on zero-COVID states to reopen their internal borders, as international travel recommences in Australia.

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has lashed out at the harsh border stance of Western Australia's Premier Mark McGowan, coinciding with overseas arrivals landing in Australia without having to undergo quarantine.

"It is absurd that you can travel to Singapore but not to Perth," he said.

"We need to bring an end to that and make sure all borders are open at the first possible opportunity."

Mr McGowan has refused to budge on reopening WA to the rest of the country.

"I really wanna see my mum, because the doctors said she has not got long" An emotional West Australian man shares his heartbreaking story after landing on the first quarantine-free flight to Sydney from Los Angeles. pic.twitter.com/IicbjiX74o

— Sunrise (@sunriseon7)

COVID travel restrictions have been eased in many jurisdictions as key vaccine targets are reached, with state and territory leaders setting out road maps for border measures to be relaxed.

It comes as the medical regulator cleared the way for more travellers from overseas to come to Australia.

The Therapeutic Goods Administration on Monday approved the Indian-made Covaxin and the Chinese-made BBIBP-CorV vaccine.

As part of the reopening plan, only travellers immunised with a TGA-recognised vaccine will be able to come to Australia without having to quarantine.

Currently, international travel is limited to flights out of Sydney and Melbourne, but that will expand to other cities once vaccination rates increase.

COVID-safe crowds back for Melbourne Cup.

After running the race with empty stands in 2020, the Victorian Racing Commission is welcoming back punters for the Melbourne Cup on Tuesday.

The crowd at Flemington Racecourse may be smaller than usual, at a COVID-19-safe limit of 10,000 people, but the excitement in the air will be thick with hope and anticipation of a return to normality.

VRC chairman Neil Wilson said he was thankful people would return to the track following the relaxation of lockdown restrictions after last year's carnival went ahead without crowds.

Traditional Birdcage scrapped at Flemington racecourse, but organisers have launched a reimagined, Covid safe version of it featuring an outdoor picnic space #Wildflower @australian pic.twitter.com/btWvVdLRIw

— Angelica Snowden (@ang3snowden)

"We are grateful to have the opportunity to welcome over 35,000 people attending Cup week this year in a COVID-19 environment," he said.

Members of PETA and the Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses have put on a 'Squid Game' themed display outside the gates of Flemington Racecourse today. #9News https://t.co/ZM0pPoIlqI

— 9News Melbourne (@9NewsMelb)

Melbourne and Victoria's regions reunited after coronavirus restrictions eased at 6pm on Friday, ahead of the state hitting its 80 per cent full vaccination target at the weekend.

The border between Melbourne and the regions has now come down, masks no longer need to be worn outdoors, and capacity limits increased for restaurants, pubs and cafes, and indoor entertainment venues, gyms and retail reopened to fully vaccinated patrons.

There were 1471 new locally acquired COVID-19 cases and four deaths announced on Monday

NSW cases drop as regions, borders open.

NSW recorded its lowest number of locally acquired cases in more than three months as restrictions on regional and international travel were lifted.

Qantas flight QF1 left Sydney on Monday night bound for London via Darwin carrying outbound vaccinated Australians.

Flights also arrived at Sydney International Airport from the US, Singapore, Japan, Vietnam, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, New Caledonia, Hong Kong, Fiji and Dubai on the first day of quarantine-free travel for vaccinated Australian citizens, permanent residents and their immediate families.

Singaporean tourists will be allowed back to Australia as part of a travel bubble from November 21.