Pubs and restaurants to cram in twice as many punters as Scott Morrison reduces four-metre rule to two metres - and pushes for states to hurry up and open their borders
- Scott Morrison said four-square metre rule per person can be reduced to two
- The prime minister addressed the media following National Cabinet on Friday
- Mr Morrison said he is all for 'the borders to go and for the jobs to open'
- He commended Victoria for their handling of a second spike in COVID-19 cases
- Mr Morrison said it was 'ridiculous' shoppers were panic buying again
Pubs and restaurants will soon be able to serve twice as many punters after Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the four-square rule per person rule can now be reduced to two.
Mr Morrison announced the eased coronavirus restriction following the National Cabinet meeting on Friday.
'Today we also agreed, and noted the advice of the Medical Expert Panel, that the two-square metre rule can be moved to for smaller premises,' he said.
'Smaller premises will be determined by the jurisdiction but, as a rule of them, that's around about 100 square metres.
'So that means for much smaller premises that would have otherwise being trying to stick to a four-square metre rule arrangement, this just gives them a bit more room for them to be taking more patrons.'
Pictured: The Royal Oak Hotel in Double Bay after coronavirus lockdown rules were lifted
Prime Minister Scott Morrison addressed the media in a Matildas scarf the same day FIFA announced Australia and New Zealand would host the Women's World Cup in 2023
Mr Morrison said Tasmania and Western Australia have already moved to the two-square metre arrangement but other jurisdictions now had the flexibility to consider the change.
The prime minister also urged states and territories to open their borders, despite a second COVID-19 outbreak in Victoria.
'I'm for all the borders to go and for the jobs to open,' he said.
Mr Morrison said he expected borders across the country to open in July and that it would be reasonable to exclude travellers from coronavirus hotspots.
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'The Northern Territory Government is opening up and I commend the Chief Minister, Michael Gunner, for that approach,' he said.
'If you've come from a hot spot, well, you'll have to go into quarantine and that's entirely reasonable.'
The Northern Territory will push ahead with plans to lift border restrictions from July 17.
Mr Gunner said people travelling to the territory will need to sign a declaration that they have not been through a hot spot in the previous 28 days.
Customers at the Ocean Beach Hotel at Cottesloe Beach enjoy the easing of restrictions on June 06 in Perth
Victoria reported another 30 cases of coronavirus on Friday. Pictured a pop-up testing site at Melbourne Showgrounds on Thursday
New South Wales, Victoria and ACT are the only states and territories which currently have free movement but the NSW government has advised residents to avoid Melbourne as they attempt to control the second COVID-19 outbreak.
Mr Morrison commended the Victorian Government on their handling of a second spike in coronavirus cases and said the cabinet agreed to follow the three-step plan.
'At National Cabinet today there was a great sense of solidarity in supporting Victoria because this could occur in Queensland, it could occur in Western Australia, it could occur in Tasmania, New South Wales, in any other place,' he said.
'Outbreaks will occur but at National Cabinet they remained firm on sticking with their three-step plan and continuing the easing of restrictions that will continue into next month.'
Victoria reported another 30 cases of on Friday and the state is undertaking a 'testing blitz' for COVID-19 hotspots.
The outbreak in suburban Melbourne has led to the return of the panic buying which was seen at the beginning of the global health crisis.
Empty shelves at Woolworths in Green Hills. Coles, Woolworths and Costco supermarkets in Sydney are running out of toilet paper after panic buyers cleared out shelves in Melbourne
Coles, Woolworths and Costco supermarkets in Sydney have now begun to run out of toilet paper after panic buyers cleared the shelves in Melbourne.
Mr Morrison said he had the same message for hoarding shoppers as at the beginning of the pandemic.
'Stop it, it's ridiculous,' he said.
'More importantly, those restrictions have been put in place. The coordination commission that works around this issue has been working with the suppliers and the retail outlets to put that in place.
'I'm sure it will pass as it did last time and there's no need for it and I think, today, it's important to reassure people the outbreak doesn't mean there's a problem.'
The National Cabinet also agreed the two-week quarantine period kept should be kept at 14 days.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison says states and territories can reduce the four-square metre per person rule for pubs and restaurants to two
Chris Locascio and co-owner Peter Jones-Best make drinks for diners at Colombo Social in Newtown, Sydney, on June 5
Mr Morrison was grilled about when international travel would resume following comments Qantas CEO Alan Joyce made on Thursday.
Mr Joyce said he did not expect the airline to resume international services in any significant way until July next year at the earliest.
The prime minister is hopeful Australia will be able to organise a travel arrangement with New Zealand but agreed overseas travel was off the cards for the time being.
'We hope we can come to an arrangement with New Zealand before that [12 months], whether it's with other nations, a number of other countries expressed an interest given our health success in Australia,' Mr Morrison said.
'That doesn't necessarily mean that they will be invitations we take up.
'So as you look around the world and you see the intensity of the virus escalating, not decelerating, then I think it is not unreasonable for Alan Joyce to form the view he has.
'No-one really knows [when international travel will return] and that's the problem.'
Mr Morrison was grilled about when international travel would resume following comments Qantas CEO Alan Joyce made on Thursday. Mr Joyce said he did not expect the airline to resume international services in any significant way until July next year at the earliest. Pictured: An empty Qantas check in terminal at Sydney Airport on Thursday
Mr Morrison wore a Matildas scarf for part of Friday's press conference, following the announcement Australia and New Zealand would host the FIFA Women's World Cup in 2023.
England voted against the bid and instead through their support behind Colombia.
Mr Morrison was asked whether England's vote would lead to a Tim-Tam tariff for Prime Minister Boris Johnson, as the two nations work towards a trade deal.
'No, there'll be no Tim-Tam tariff,' Mr Morrison said.
'My reaction [to the successful bid] was one of being thrilled. I got the news through the middle of the night and really pleased.
'I'm sure, for me to have a chat with Boris at some point and I'm sure he'll make it up to me some other way.'
Pictured: Pubgoers at Rose Bay Hotel in Sydney on June 1
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