Canberrans should know by the end of this week how the ACT government intends to start rolling back coronavirus restrictions, Chief Minister Andrew Barr has said.
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Mr Barr said he hoped to make an announcement about the territory's first steps out of the shutdown after Friday's national cabinet meeting.
He indicated the restrictions would not be lifted straight away, saying Canberrans would be given prior notice before any changes came into effect.
Other states have this week moved to start easing restrictions in their jurisdictions as they continue to consolidate their strong position in the fight against COVID-19.
NSW was the latest state to do so, with premier Gladys Berejiklian announcing that two adults would be allowed to visit another person's home from Friday.
Mr Barr earlier this week said the ACT wouldn't immediately follow other states and start rolling back measures, stressing that it "wasn't a race or contest between jurisdictions" to rush out of the shutdown.
He also noted that most of the restrictions eased in other states were never in place in the ACT.
That includes the NSW ban on visits from two other people.
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While there is a ban of gatherings of more than two people in ACT, that doesn't include members of the same household or family. That means two people are permitted to visit another house, so long as they can maintain social distancing.
On Tuesday, Mr Barr repeated that the ACT wouldn't be lifting restrictions "on a whim", saying that the process had to be "considered, with notice and backed by public information campaign".
"The notice that I am giving now is that by the end of this week - Friday's national cabinet - I hope to be in a position to make some further announcements in relation to the restrictions that are in place," he said.
- For information on COVID-19, please go to the ACT Health website or the federal Health Department's website.
- You can also call the Coronavirus Health Information Line on 1800 020 080
- If you have serious symptoms, such as difficulty breathing, call Triple Zero (000)
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Dan Jervis-Bardy
Dan covers federal politics from Parliament House, with a special focus on climate policy and the NDIS. He has previously reported on ACT politics and urban affairs since joining the Canberra Times in 2018.
Dan covers federal politics from Parliament House, with a special focus on climate policy and the NDIS. He has previously reported on ACT politics and urban affairs since joining the Canberra Times in 2018.
