Roadmap for easing of coronavirus restrictions revealed

THE roadmap back to life after the coronavirus has been revealed, but it is not yet clear when restrictions will be eased in Victoria.

This afternoon, Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced the National Cabinet had approved a three-step “Roadmap to a COVIDSafe Australia”.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews, speaking soon afterwards, said nothing would change in Victoria today or over the weekend, but there would be a series of announcements from Monday.

Changes in step one of the roadmap:

• Five visitors at home, 10 in businesses and public places
• Work from home if it suits you and your employer
• Restaurants, cafes and shopping open
• Libraries, community centres, playgrounds and boot camps open
• Local and regional travel allowed.

Changes in step two:

• Gatherings of 20 in your home, businesses and public places
• Work from home if it suits you and your employer
• Gyms, beauty, cinemas, galleries and amusement parks open
• Caravans and camping grounds open
• Some interstate travel allowed.

Changes in step three:

• Gathering sizes increased to 100
• Return to workplaces
• Nightclubs, food courts and saunas open
• All interstate travel allowed
• Consideration of cross-Tasman, Pacific island and international student travel.

The Prime Minister said Australia was expected to move through all three steps by July, but it was up to individual states and territories to determine the timing.

Mr Andrews would not reveal any details about the easing of specific rules in step one in Victoria this afternoon.

“Those rules – that will not be all the rules going, and it won’t necessarily be that the moment I announce something a change happens right then,” he said.

“There may be time required to move from announcing a change to the effect of that. The key point here is that, even at the end of next week, even at the end of May, there will still be rules in place.”

He said Victoria was considering the various parts of step one like a “menu”.

“And we will choose elements of that and the respective timing for the rollout of each of those elements that best suit Victoria, that best suit the unique circumstances that we face.”