Prime Minister Scott Morrison says up to 10,000 people will be able to go to the football and other outdoor stadium events under stage three of easing coronavirus restrictions, and said a pilot scheme is being considered for international students to return to Australia.
After the national cabinet meeting on Friday morning Mr Morrison also announced a change to the caps on gatherings, removing the 100 person limit on indoor gatherings and replacing it with a four-square metre rule.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison addresses the media.Credit:Alex Ellinghausen
"That means for much larger premises that will provide much larger scope," he said, but ruled out nightclubs re-opening, noting they are "one of the areas of failure" overseas.
The Prime Minister flagged at "some time in July" people could return to outdoor, organised and ticketed sporting and cultural events in stadia with capacity up to 40,000 people, with maximum 25 per cent capacity and adherence to social distancing rules, but said "further work" was needed to work out details.
"This is not something that's happening straight away. This is something that would be happening as part of step three, where states and territories choose to move to that, and it will require a bit more work. So that's in July," he said. He suggested larger venues like the MCG may be able to accept people with a 10,000 person limit, with approval from the chief health officer of the state or territory.
The 100-person-cap will also be removed in place of the four square-metre rule on both indoor and outdoor funerals, Mr Morrison announced, noting the limit on attendance at funerals has "caused great heartache across the community".
"I'm sure we'll enjoy this welcome change. If they're larger funerals, they can have more people and if they're outdoor venues, with proper seating they can have larger gatherings.
Mr Morrison said the federal government will be working closely with states and territories to allow international students on a "pilot basis" to be able to come to Australia "but only on pre-approved plans for particular institutions worked up between federal authorities and state and territory authorities".
He warned states and territories they would have to open their borders internally before they could accept international students.
"I made clear to the states and territories today, if someone can't come to your state from Sydney, then someone can't come to your state from Singapore. If you want to open up borders for international students, then you have to open up borders for Australians," he said.
"We've received some very, I think, well thought-through proposals from states as to how this can be done," he said. "But it has to be done with the appropriate quarantine entry arrangements and biosecurity, and all of those matters, being addressed".
Addressing the media at Parliament House, Mr Morrison re-iterated his condemnation of people attending mass rallies and protests in the wake of a weekend of Black Lives Matter protests last weekend.
"It puts not only your own health at risk, but it puts other people's lives at risk," he said.
"The very clear message is that people should not attend those events because it is against the health advice to do so.
"This is not about the issue that people are raising, this is about people's health and welfare and I would urge Australians to respect that by not attending those events."
Fleta Page is a federal politics desk editor for the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, based at Parliament House.
Rachael Dexter is a journalist & audio video producer at The Age.
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2020-06-12 03:33:20Z
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