States row with PM over vaccine allocation.

Scott Morrison has defended sending extra Pfizer doses to NSW after state premiers savaged secrecy surrounding vaccine distribution.

The prime minister's home state received 45 per cent of the Pfizer doses distributed last month despite having 32 per cent of Australia's population.

But Mr Morrison said the increase in NSW's supplies was mainly drawn out of doses from Poland in a bid to deal with a spiralling outbreak.

State governments have demanded a fair share of coronavirus vaccines, after data emerged showing NSW received a higher allocation. https://t.co/OKFclyUGDU

— SBS News (@SBSNews)

He said the federal government rebuffed calls for the state to receive an increased allocation in June and July.

"I'll tell you who said no to that, it was me. It wasn't the states and territories," Mr Morrison toldSky News.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews demanded a reckoning to balance the ledger and blasted "secret arrangements" around vaccines.

"Some don't like to see this as a race, but a race it surely is. What I did not know was that (NSW) Premier Berejiklian is in a sprint while the rest of us are supposed to do some egg and spoon thing," he said.

"No, we want our fair share. These allocations which are totally unfair and were under the table and need to stop."

Chief political correspondent @latingle discusses the reactions to the revelation that New South Wales had received a greater share of Pfizer vaccines through the GP network. #abc730 pic.twitter.com/0ydbtjIINe

— abc730 (@abc730)

Health Minister Greg Hunt said Victoria and Queensland received extra doses during outbreaks and insisted the NSW boost was about saving lives.

"Others may be looking for conflict. Sometimes these things can be a little stage-managed," he said.

WA Premier Mark McGowan also called for states that gave up doses for NSW to be repaid.

"We can't have a situation where some states are punished for doing the right thing for NSW," he told reporters in Perth.

Gatherers at Vic synagogue set to be fined.

Worshippers who gathered near a synagogue in Melbourne's southeast in breach of COVID-19 lockdown rules will be fined by police.

People were spotted entering a building, believed to be a prayer room, near a Ripponlea synagogue early on Tuesday morning to mark the Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashanah.

In the afternoon, officers surrounded both front and back entrances of the building, where an Orthodox Jewish group was believed to be congregating upstairs.

Dozens of Jewish worshippers who gathered at a synagogue in Melbourne's inner east have been slapped with a more than $5,000 fine for breaching COVID health orders. #9Today pic.twitter.com/yYaOdL71oQ

— The Today Show (@TheTodayShow)

The stand-off ended just after 8pm, with several people filing outside and a group of traditionally dressed worshippers became aggressive.

"All adults who attended will be issued with a $5452 fine. A number of children who were present will not be fined," a Victoria Police spokesman said in a statement.

Victoria reported 246 cases for a second consecutive day, equalling the highest increase of the outbreak.

NSW hospo sector told to plan for October 14.

NSW residents could be knocking back schooners at the pub and dining at restaurants as soon as next month - but only if they're fully vaccinated.

"My strong message to the hospitality sector is dust off your COVID-safety plans, things will be reopening in October," Premier Gladys Berejiklian said on Tuesday.

"Let's hope that October reopening means it's the last time we ever have a state-wide lockdown."

The state is projected to reach the long-awaited goal of 70 per cent vaccine coverage in October, triggering a gradual reopening.

NSW plans to reopen pubs by October 14, Ben Fordham reports “A new health order will be signed, allowing only those who are fully vaccinated to enter or work at pubs and clubs” https://t.co/x1fDiIpuFS

— Josh Butler (@JoshButler)

Nearly three-quarters of NSW residents aged 16 and over have received at least one dose of the vaccine. Some 41.79 per cent had received both doses, according to data published on Tuesday.

The door to the pub will only be open to those who can show they have had both doses of the vaccine, the premier warned on Tuesday.

"When we open up at 70 per cent double-dose, it will be only for those who are vaccinated," she said.

Ms Berejiklian urged people to book in their vaccines to avoid being left behind.

People will eventually be able to add their vaccine status to the Service NSW app that's being used to manage check-ins and scanning QR codes.

October is also projected to be the worst period for the state's hospital system.

But Ms Berejiklian said that won't get in the way of the government's reopening plans.

"Coincidentally, the worst time in hospitalisation is likely to be the time that we open up," she said.

"But that shouldn't stop us from proceeding with what is a safe thing to do."

NSW reported 1220 local infections and eight deaths on Tuesday as authorities wait for a further peak in numbers.

PM defends Father's Day trip to Sydney.

In an interview withSky Newson Tuesday, the prime minister said he understood people's "frustration" he travelled to Sydney from Canberra for Father's Day given many Australians are unable to travel, but claimed he had been the victim of "misinformation".

He toldSkythere was "no requirement to get an exemption to go to Sydney" and he had returned home after parliament finished on Thursday and attended national cabinet on Friday.

As a resident of Sydney, his travel to Canberra was covered by the same essential work exemption granted to all parliamentarians and "the exemption I require is to come back here to the ACT."

Asked if Morrison's fathers day dash home was a case of “Hawaii 2.0”, ACT chief Andrew Barr told reporters “I can understand why people would reach that conclusion”. https://t.co/1bkUmQuu7B

— Helen Davidson (@heldavidson)

Asked about the Instagram post featuring an old photo, Morrison said it was "very cynical" to suggest he had not been upfront about being in Sydney and labelling the suggestion a "low blow".

Bill Shorten told Channel Nine’sTodayMorrison had shown "appalling judgment" because "you can't have one rule for Mr Morrison and another for everyone else".

Three in five western NSW cases Indigenous.

Three out of every five people testing positive for COVID-19 in western NSW are Indigenous, health authorities have revealed, amid alarm over falling testing rates.

While Aboriginal people make up 13 per cent of the population of the Western NSW Local Health District, they represent 60 per cent of the district's positive cases, LHD Chief Executive Scott McLachlan said on Tuesday.

Some 885 people have acquired the virus in that district the last few months, more than 600 of whom live in Dubbo.

More than 13 per cent of the majority-Indigenous town of Wilcannia, population 745, has now been infected.

A devastating outbreak in Enngonia has infected at least 18 people in a town of just 148, one hour from the nearest hospital. Some 44.9 per cent of residents are Indigenous.

Residents of the tiny town, dealing with the loss of a much-loved local Elder, are struggling to access food and medications. Via @KeiraJenkins2 @K_Michelmore #ThePointNITV https://t.co/noxBLEYFn9

— NITV (@NITV)

State MP Roy Butler says the NSW government was too slow to clamp down on people leaving Sydney after the city's outbreak began in mid-June.

Spike in drownings blamed on COVID factors.

A spike in drowning deaths has been blamed on COVID-related factors as Australians holiday at home and more swim in remote, unpatrolled areas.

There were 294 drowning deaths across the nation's coastline, inland waterways and pools in 2020/21, according to annual reports from Royal Life Saving Society Australia and Surf Life Saving Australia.

That is up 20 per cent from 245 over the previous 12-month period, while there was also a further 674 non-fatal drowning incidents.

The reports, released on Wednesday, identified spikes in drowning deaths immediately after large-scale lockdowns, as Australians increasingly holidayed domestically and swam in unfamiliar locations.

More people were travelling to remote areas to escape crowds, it said, swimming outside of patrolled hours and taking more day trips to isolated beaches, rivers or lakes.

The risks of drownings at home were also higher, with adults prone to becoming complacent when exhausted from working from home and homeschooling.

In addition, the coronavirus has interrupted swimming lessons for children and reduced pool access for adults and teenagers who are no longer fit to swim or lack confidence.

Queensland reports zero new COVID-19 cases.

The Queensland government is trying to ramp up COVID-19 vaccinations before Delta reappears in the state, after bringing another outbreak under control.

The state recorded no new cases in the 24 hours to 6.30am on Tuesday as 900 families were released from home quarantine by authorities.

The families had been potentially exposed to a four-year-old girl at a school and a daycare centre in the Beenleigh area, but all the children have since tested negative.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk says the immediate threat from the outbreak, which peaked at three cases, has passed.

However, she says the threat of Delta spreading from NSW remains high and the state is ramping up vaccinations with a new mass hub opening at Boondall, on Brisbane's north side on Tuesday.

We can’t keep highly contagious strains like Delta out forever. That’s why we need to use this window to get everyone vaccinated. Tell your family and friends – this is urgent. Thanks, Queensland 👏 pic.twitter.com/2QBjw2fb3R

— Annastacia Palaszczuk (@AnnastaciaMP)

The centre will initially administer 1500 vaccinations per day before ramping up to 3000 next week.

Ms Palaszczuk said once the government has a clear indication of Commonwealth vaccine supplies over the next six to eight weeks it will release forecasts of when Queensland will hit 80 per cent vaccination coverage.

She said she hopes Queenslanders will be able to travel around Australia by Christmas.

Canberra reports 19 new coronavirus cases.

Canberra recorded 19 new cases on Tuesday, with 13 linked to current exposure sites or contacts and six under investigation.

Eleven of the people were in quarantine for the duration of their infectious period, six spent some time in the community and two remain under review.

Mr Barr took aim at senior Morrison government figures who lashed some states for lagging behind on vaccination rates.

"What has been very disappointing and frustrating is some of the national commentary criticising Queensland, WA, Victoria and South Australia for not having vaccination rates as high as New South Wales," he said.

The ACT continues to lead Australia in vaccination rates for people aged 16 and above with 47.6 per cent fully immunised and 71.4 per cent having received a first dose.

But Mr Barr warned that meant 185,000 people had no protection and 267,000 only a single shot.

SA in talks on truck drivers and vaccines.

South Australia is talking to the freight industry about making COVID-19 vaccinations a requirement for interstate truck drivers.

SA Chief Public Health Officer Nicola Spurrier flagged the issue on Tuesday while advising a truck driver from NSW tested positive travelling through the state on September 2-3.

The government will later on Tuesday update its list of exposure sites to likely include a BP service station at Wingfield visited by the driver late last week.

Nearly 1,000 South Australians have been considered a close contact of one of six infected truck drivers that have entered the state recently. SA authorities are now looking into making vaccines mandatory for any freight drivers entering the state. @katelambe_ #9News pic.twitter.com/AJE7RJKV61

— 9News Adelaide (@9NewsAdel)