The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, has kept open the possibility of cutting the Covid isolation period from seven down to five days, as national cabinet prepares to meet on Wednesday to discuss Australia’s pandemic settings.
The New South Wales premier, Dominic Perrottet, will continue to push his fellow state leaders to change the mandated isolation period, while Victoria’s premier Daniel Andrews says he is open to the shift if supported by health advice.
“I think the time is right for us to get fresh advice. We’ll get that advice tomorrow and I’m inclined to follow that advice,” Andrews said on Tuesday.
But the Australian Capital Territory chief minister, Andrew Barr, is downplaying the prospect of dramatic changes to the isolation period, saying any reforms might not come until next month’s meeting.
National cabinet will meet on Wednesday.
Albanese told 2SM radio that Covid settings will be a top priority for discussion, adding that reducing the period of mandated isolation “has been on the agenda for some time”, noting Perrottet’s ongoing advocacy on that issue.
“We’ll have a discussion with all of the premiers,” he said.
“Since we last met there’s been, fortunately, a reduction in the number of Covid infections and the impact that it’s having that was in accordance with the health advice we received. So we’ll be examining those issues.”
He said he was focused on getting all the states and territories “on the same page so that there’s consistency in the regulations and the rules”.
The Health Services Union secretary, Gerard Hayes, called for Covid isolation to be scrapped altogether, arguing the virus should now be treated similarly to other serious health issues.
“We’re starting to see life return to normal and I think that includes ensuring that we treat Covid as we would treat the flu, measles or anything else. And if people are infectious, they should be staying at home,” he told the ABC.
Perrottet and Andrews gave a rare joint press conference in Melbourne on Tuesday morning to announce funding for 50 new state-run urgent care health clinics across NSW and Victoria.
Perrottet also agreed there should be national consistency in Covid rules.
“We will naturally discuss and debate those things tomorrow and hopefully we’ll have a strong outcome,” he said.
Both leaders said isolation payments must continue and called for a continuation of the 50-50 funding split with state and federal governments.
South Australian premier, Peter Malinauskas, said he was “open-minded” to changing isolation rules, subject to the health advice. He added that national consistency on such rules was key.
“Clearly, as the pandemic evolves, restrictions, including isolation requirements, will need to be adjusted,” he told Guardian Australia.
However, Barr said his ACT government was not in favour of changing the isolation period at this stage.
“It appears that there will not be advice from AHPPC to reduce the length of isolation at this time,” he told Guardian Australia.
“I anticipate there will discussion in National Cabinet tomorrow and potentially further consideration at the September national cabinet meeting.”
The federal opposition leader, Peter Dutton, called Perrottet a “sensible voice” on Covid rule changes, and expressed support for cutting the isolation period.
“I’m happy to listen to the health advice but clearly now we’re moving into a phase where the isolation period will reduce and the arrangements … that were in place at the height of Covid will start to unwind,” Dutton told a Melbourne press conference.
“I think that’s what the community expects and what the premiers and prime minister should deliver.”
Guardian Australia contacted all state and territory governments for comment on tomorrow’s national cabinet, but other leaders have been more reticent to weigh in on isolation settings ahead of the meeting.
Tasmania’s premier Jeremy Rockliff would only say his government “will follow the public health advice – as we have done since the beginning of the pandemic”.
A spokesperson for the Western Australian government said premier Mark McGowan “looks forward to discussing these matters”.
“Western Australia is supportive of a nationally-consistent approach to testing and isolation protocols, noting any changes to these settings must be based on expert health advice,” the spokesperson said.
“Our continued focus on following the health advice has delivered Western Australia among the best health and economic outcomes of any jurisdiction in the world.”
