Scott Morrison slams Victoria's road map out of coronavirus lockdown and says he hopes it is a 'worst case scenario'
Scott Morrison has said he hopes Victoria's road map out of coronavirus lockdown is a worst-case scenario.
The prime minister said the state's plan to keep lockdown restrictions in place for at least six weeks was 'crushing news'.
'The plan that was outlined yesterday, I hope, is a worst-case scenario. I see it as a starting point in terms of how this issue will be managed in the weeks and months ahead in Victoria,' Mr Morrison said today.
Scott Morrison has said he hopes Victoria's road map out of coronavirus lockdown is a worst-case scenario
Under premier Daniel Andrews' plan, released on Sunday, lockdown will only end when there are an average of five cases per day, which is not expected until October 26.
Until then, a curfew will be in place from 9pm to 5am and residents can only leave home for exercise, shopping, school and work, and caregiving.
New South Wales has managed to remove lockdown and keep its economy going while suppressing cases to an average of less than 10 per day so far this month.
Mr Morrison noted that Sydney would be under lockdown if it followed Mr Andrews' road map.
'What I can't help but be struck by is that, under the thresholds that have been set in that plan, Sydney would be under curfew now,' he said.
'Sydney doesn't need to be under curfew now. They have a tracing capability that can deal with outbreaks.'
The prime minister said he wanted Victoria's contact tracing regime to be beefed so it can handle a reasonable number of cases without requiring lockdown.
Mr Andrews has been slammed by businesses and opposition politicians who say such low numbers as a threshold for easing restrictions was unrealistic.
Daniel Andrews has said he will speed up Victoria's road map out of lockdown if coronavirus case numbers fall faster than expected
On Monday morning, the premier said he is open to changing the plan.
'If we saw things change dramatically then we would obviously remodel the whole thing,' he told Melbourne radio station 3AW.
'If the data was to fundamentally change then we would be standing up making different announcements.'
Mr Andrews also said he was not trying to eliminate the virus but suppress it enough that contact tracing teams can identify and isolate the contacts of every case.
He said after lockdown is lifted there will be cases but they would not necessarily mean a return to harsh restrictions, saying the state was not pursuing unrealistic eradication but controllable numbers.
Police are seen along Elizabeth Street on Sunday as Premier Andrews released his roadmap
'A strategy where you're trying to eradicate it would mean that if you had one case you would go back into lockdown. That's the difference,' he said.
'This thing, it moves so fast, so silently, that it can get away from you so fast.
'You've got to beat it first then you can find that new normal.'
On Monday Victoria announced nine more deaths from coronavirus, taking the state toll to 675 and the national figure to 762.
But there was some good news for the state, with new case numbers dropping significantly on Monday to 41.
It is Victoria's lowest daily case number since June 26.
MELBOURNE'S ROADMAP OUT OF COVID-19 LOCKDOWN - WHAT YOU WILL BE ABLE TO DO AND WHEN:
Step one: The first step will come in to place on September 13.
Step two: The second step will be implemented when Melbourne has 30-50 COVID-19 cases a day on average over the past 14 days. The aim is for this to come into place on September 28.
Step three: The move to step three will occur when there is a daily statewide average of five new cases over the past 14 days. The aim is for this to come into place on October 26.
Step four: The move to step four will come when there have been no new COVID-19 cases in the past 14 days. The aim is for this to come into place on November 23.
COVID Normal: After 28 days of no new COVID-19 cases, things will return to normal.
Step one - 11.59pm on September 13:
- Curfew will be eased to 9pm-5am
- People can still only leave home for the four reasons (shopping, exercise, work and care or medical attention)
- Public gatherings increased to two people, or a household, for a maximum of two hours
- Singles can have one nominated person to their home as part of the 'singles social bubble'
- Childcare and early educators to remain closed
- Schools will continue to learn remotely unless they have exemptions
- Adult education to continue to be done remotely, unless they have exemption
- Only go to work if you are in a permitted industry
- Cafes and restaurants will continue with take away only
- Retail businesses will remain open for essential shopping, with others only operating with click and collect
- Only one person per household can do the essential shopping
Step two - September 28:
- Public gatherings increase again to five people from a maximum of two households
- Childcare and early educators can re-open
- Schools to continue with remote learning, but Prep to Grade Two and Year 11 and Year 12 students will gradually return to class in Term 4
- There will be an increase to permitted workplaces
Step three - October 26:
- Curfew is no longer in place
- There are no restrictions on leaving home
- Public gatherings increase to 10 people together outdoors
- A 'household bubble' will be introduced, so five people from one house can visit another
- Remote learning to continue, but Grades 3 to Year 11 can gradually return to class
- Adult education to continue to be done remotely, but hands on classes will see a phased return to onsite
- Work from home is encouraged
- Up to 10 people can eat together at restaurants and cafes, with the majority of tables outdoor
- Retail shops to reopen, with hairdresses operating under safety measures but beauty stores to remain closed
- Real estate agents can conduct private inspections by appointment
- The one person per household limit on shopping is to be revoked
Step four - November 23:
- Public gatherings to increase to 50 people outdoors
- Up to 20 visitors can attend a home at any one time
- All adult education will return to onsite with safety measures in place
- Groups limited to 20 indoors and a maximum of 50 patrons per venue
- All retail stores to reopen, while real estate agents can operate with safety measures and by keeping a record of attendants
Step five - COVID normal:
- Public gatherings have no restriction
- There will also be no restriction on visitors to homes
- Phased return to onsite work for work from home workers
- Schools to reopen as normal
- Restrictions on hospitality removed, but venues to continue keeping records