THE future of the mandatory isolation period will be debated when national cabinet meets later this month, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has indicated.
NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet has long argued for the isolation period to be scrapped, and on Wednesday reiterated the change should happen “as soon as possible”.
“I’ve made it very clear, my view is we need to move to a system, moving away from public health orders and ultimately moving to a position of respect,” he said.
“We can’t have State Government public health orders in place for perpetuity.”
Mr Albanese said he was previously critical of each state and territory making their own decisions after National Cabinet would meet.
“You would then have the Prime Minister give an announcement, then the New South Wales Premier say what New South Wales is doing, Victoria say what Victoria was doing, WA say what WA was doing,” he said.
“What I’ve sought to do is to bring together the Premiers and Chief Ministers from across the political spectrum, from across our states and territories, to have a common national position.
“And I must say that all of them have been co-operative. It’s a very collegiate atmosphere.
“But can I say this: that we do need, in my view, that national consistency.
“These decisions are, of course, up to the states and territories. But I see my job as about facilitating that discussion.
“And can I say that it has been very positive over the last three months, and I think it was the right decision to go from seven days to five days.”
