National Cabinet to consider access to leisure for vaccinated Australians

Greater freedoms for vaccinated residents - including access to aquatic and fitness facilities, spectator sport, concerts, hospitality venue and travel - are among plans to be considered at the meeting of Australia’s National Cabinet tomorrow.

With state and territory leaders reported to be set to consider the national plan for reopening the economy based on reaching vaccination levels of 70%, then 80%, of Australian adults in the coming months, discussions will consider freedoms to be granted as the country enters phase 2 of the national plan.

National cabinet is also expected to sign off on the plan to vaccinate 12-to-15-year olds.

A national cabinet subcommittee led by government representatives from Victoria, the Northern Territory and Tasmania is drafting up the proposal in association with the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet. It is expected to include COVID-19 digital vaccination certificates already available to be added to mobile devices through Apple Wallet and Google Pay.

Commenting on the move, Victorian Health Minister, Martin Foley stated “Victoria, Tasmania, the NT and the Commonwealth are working through precisely what that looks like.

“I have to say, the enthusiasm that has come from the private sector, from community organisations and others who want to be a part of that, makes us more certain that strategy is correct.

“Let national cabinet go through its processes but what we do know is that there is both a positive incentive for people to get vaccinated because it will allow them to get to a whole range of things that we all love doing, that we cannot do at the moment, and there will equally be a positive disincentive for people to hold back from getting vaccinations.”

In Parliament yesterday, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison (pictured) listed the limitations that people could expect to be lifted if vaccinated, citing children returning to school, businesses no longer having to fear large-scale lockdowns, the end of working from home, relief for the domestic and international tourism and travel sectors, and the return of live music and theatre.

However, the governments of Queensland and Western Australia have been reluctant to back the national plan following NSW having lost control of its outbreak.

Earlier in the week, Prime Minister Morrison advised of a goal “to live with this virus rather than fear it” when immunisation targets are met.

He went on to say that the severe lockdown restrictions, which affect more than half of Australia's population in Victoria, NSW, and the ACT, could not be maintained indefinitely.

Recent modelling by the Doherty Institute, frequently referenced by the Federal Government, says until Australia achieves high vaccination coverage, ongoing Coronavirus outbreaks are likely to have “rapid and uncontrolled growth, with significant morbidity and mortality and requiring regular and extended lockdowns”.