Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy have given an update after today’s National Cabinet meeting.
Among the updates were new announcements for foreign aid, a parliamentary trial week and what Australia needs to do before we’re on the road out.
Here are some of the key points.
The unemployment rate
The Prime Minister pointed out the latest figures for the unemployment rate are largely based on the middle of March, before restrictions came into full swing across the economy.
“While that figure is welcome, we know that is the best figure we will see for some time,” he said.
Coronavirus update: Follow the latest news in our daily wrap.
“We do need to prepare ourselves as a country for some very sobering news on the economic front in months ahead.”
“We are working on that road out and we are working on that road ahead in the recovery piece that will see people getting back into work and Australia getting through this.”
Parliament trial week in May
Parliament was due to return in August but Mr Morrison announced it’ll return sooner than that.
“We will be looking to have a trial week of Parliament in May and that would be returning to the normal business of Parliament,” he said.
“It is my hope that we might then be able to establish a pattern beyond that which is workable.”
But exactly how that’ll physically look with social distancing rules still in place is still unclear.
