'Early mark': PM hints at easing coronavirus restrictions sooner
Scott Morrison has announced the government will make decisions on whether it can lift coronavirus restrictions across Australia next Friday.
The date was brought forward from May 11 due to the strong work the country had done so far, the prime minister said as he addressed media after meeting with the National Cabinet on Friday morning.
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"Australians have earned an early mark,” he told reporters.
National Cabinet will meet on Tuesday and Friday next week, with the aim of making an announcement on May 8 about lifting baseline restrictions.
All of the restrictions will be reviewed, from pub visits to shopping centre operation.
Mr Morrison stressed Australia needs to act soon to save its dwindling economy.
“We can’t keep Australia under the doona,” he said.
However he stressed any moves made must be done to ensure we “move forward and not backwards”.
"When we start opening up businesses again, that is going to require those businesses to start opening their doors getting people back in taking risks, and we don't want that to have to be reversed because the virus getting a run-on again,” he said.
He called on Australians to continue to abide by the current restrictions and to download the government tracking app COVIDSafe.
“So it’s over to you Australia, as we go through this next seven days, and we will consider that when we come together in a week from now,” he said.
Could the app be the way out?
The PM was also asked if the government would still ease restrictions even if people didn’t download the app he replied National Cabinet hasn’t considered extending them.
“There's no suggestion of this, but the degree to which we can confidently ease restrictions depends on how (many people) download the COVIDSafe app,” he said.
Mr Morrison said there would be “lagged impacts” felt from the pandemic in Australia and overseas.
“That may take some time, and it's important as we move into another phase that we not only give people confidence about their businesses and their health and being able to engage in the community,” he said.
He again encouraged people to download the app adding more than 3.5 million Australians have downloaded it “but there needs to be millions more”.
“The coronavirus is still out there. Our numbers may be low but it's still out there,” he said.
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