Melburnians STILL can’t leave their homes except for ‘essential’ reasons for another three weeks

Melburnians still won’t be allowed to leave their homes for non-essential reasons for another three weeks despite the 9pm to 5am curfew being lifted on Monday.

Scott Morrison called for Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews to review his roadmap that requires five daily cases to move to the third step, and zero new cases for the final step of eased restrictions.

‘Easing restrictions in Victoria in a COVIDsafe way is vitally important so that more Victorians can get back to work and resume their normal lives,’ the prime minister said in a statement.

‘Today’s announcement is a small but important step in that direction. It will be important that more be done in the weeks ahead to safely ease more restrictions.’ 

The city’s multi-billion dollar hospitality industry also won’t be able to reopen until at least mid-October.  

Melburnians are currently only allowed to leave home to shop for essential supplies, work, two hours of exercise or providing medical care.  

The city’s residents slept through their final night of curfew as the Victorian government lifts the controversial lockdown measure.

They have lived with the nightly 9pm to 5am curfew for eight weeks in a move to bring the state’s devastating second wave under control.

But it will be repealed from 5am on Monday under widespread rule relaxations unveiled on Sunday.

Mr Andrews said lifting the curfew did not mean people could hold private indoor or outdoor gatherings, with those caught doing so liable for a beefed-up $5000 fine.

‘No one has the right to put everything that Victorians have done at risk by going and potentially spreading the virus, one family to another,’ Mr Andrews said.

A trial contesting the curfew’s legality under the state’s human rights charter was scheduled for the Supreme Court on Monday.

The premier denied the move to repeal it was motivated by the legal action.

From 11.59pm on Sunday, 127,000 people can return to work – close to 30,000 more than originally expected.

Other rule changes include childcare reopening, allowances for outdoor gatherings of up to five from two households and the lifting of a shopping limit of one person per household a day.

Victoria’s VCE and VCAL students will also return to school for assessments from October 5, with primary school students back on October 12.

Hospital patients will be allowed one visitor per day for a maximum of two hours, while patients under 18 will be allowed unlimited visits from two parents or carers.

Melbourne’s two-hour exercise limit and 5km travel restriction remain, although Mr Andrews foreshadowed full freedom of movement could come on October 19 ahead of AFL grand final weekend.

He urged Victorians not to let their guard down, saying the virus would run wild if people pretend the second wave is over.

Victoria reported 16 new cases and two further fatalities on Sunday, taking the state’s death toll to 784 and the national figure to 872.

Melbourne’s 14-day case average dropped to 22.1, while regional Victoria’s sits at just 0.6.

There are 399 active cases in the state, the first time that number has been under 400 since June 30.