Everything you need to know about Scott Morrison’s May 5 press conference

In his latest press conference, held this afternoon, the prime minister also said a national framework of how and when restrictions will be eased will be released on Friday.

Here’s all you need to know about Morrison’s latest press conference.

Time to reboot Australian economy

Morrison declared it’s now time to focus on rebooting the Australian economy, having successfully suppressed the coronavirus.

“We now need to get 1 million Australians back to work,” he said.

“That is the curve we need to address.”

Morrison said the current restrictions are costing the economy approximately $4 billion a week.

“By the end of the day, more than a million Australians will have had the claims process for jobseeker,” he said.

“Around five million are estimated to be on JobKeeper.

“One million, or more, are accessing their own super, of almost $10 million.

“Around 384,000 businesses are accessing around $7 million in cash flow assistance, and that is just to date.”

Morrison said National Cabinet discussed the “enormous pressure” of getting the timing right on reopening the economy.

“I can assure you that the national cabinet and certainly the Commonwealth government is under no illusion about the ongoing costs of these measures,” the he said.

“And it certainly puts enormous pressure, as it should, on the timetable as we seek to move Australia back to that safe economy.”

Massive job losses

Massive job losses have been experienced in sectors most affected by coronavirus-related restrictions.

Morrison said around 708,000 jobs had been lost in industries most affected such as hospitality, accommodation and food services.

In retail, 146,000 jobs have been lost.

Meanwhile, 120,000 jobs have been lost in the construction sector and 180,000 in arts and recreation.

Businesses should have a return plan

The Commissioner of the COVID-19 Coordination Committee, Nev Power, urged businesses and workplaces to have plans ready for when employees return to work.

As part of those plans, businesses must be ready to handle outbreaks in the workplace as well as how social distancing protocols will be applied.

“My message to business is a very simple: continue to work with your employees to find ways of configuring your business so you are able to introduce the restrictions on social distancing and hygiene into your normal business activities,” Power said.

“Have plans in place and be ready as the restrictions change that you can continue to do that as more customers are coming into your business, as there is a higher level of activity and make sure that we continue to contain the virus as the economy starts to expand again.”

Trans-Tasman “travel bubble” likely in the future

New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern joined the National Cabinet today in what Morrison said was the first time since John Curtin was prime minister during World War II.

Ardern joined the meeting to discuss a potential “safe travel zone” between Australia and New Zealand, which Morrison said “is still some time away”.

“The two-way travel between Australia and New Zealand is 1.4 million people a year both ways, almost as many Kiwis come here is Australians go there,” Morrison said.

“Especially for states like Queensland there is a much greater share of that tourism travel that comes out of New Zealand into Queensland.”

Framework on eased restrictions to be released on Friday

Morrison said a national framework of how and when restrictions will be eased will be released on Friday.

“I suspect that on Friday some restrictions will be formally eased which many states have already moved on,” he said.

While the framework will be national, Morrison said it will ultimately be up to states and territories whether and how they relax restrictions.

Almost 5 million Australians download CovidSafe app

Morrison said almost 5 million Australians have downloaded the COVIDSafe App from a targeted population of around 16 million.

The prime minister said that’s almost a third of the targeted population, but more downloads would increase the safety of Australians.

“Every single Australian that downloads it, it keeps them safe,” Morrison said.

“If you have come into contact with someone who also has the app who has been infected by COVID-19, you will know and people will get in touch with you so they can tell you [that] you have been officially compromised.”

On Monday night, draft legislation around the app showed people who misuse the data given by users will face a maximum penalty of $63,000 fine or five years in prison.