Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has announced an easing of coronavirus restrictions for the state.
Mr Andrews said that from 11.59pm there would not be any time limit on leaving the home and the 5km limit on travel for Melburnians would lift to 25km.
Groups of up to ten people from across two households will be able to gather outdoors.
A two-hour limit for exercise and socialising will be scrapped.
Outdoor sports settings such as tennis courts, golf courses and skateparks will be able to reopen, provided there is a COVIDsafe plan.
All allied health professionals currently operating will be allowed to resume face-to-face care.
Hairdressers will be able to resume trading, provided they too have a COVIDsafe plan.
Outdoor real estate auctions would be allowed with a maximum of 10 people and commercial real estate inspections can occur.
Outdoor pools can host 30 swimmers. Indoor pools can open up for one-on-one hydrotherapy with a health professional.
However, Mr Andrews hammered home that Melburnians can not have their usual AFL Grand Final parties.
The Premier warned that as “significant as the day is”, people should not break the rules and host parties or barbecues on Saturday against the rules.
“You cannot have friends over into your home. You cannot pretend that it is over because we all desperately want it to be,” he said.
“I know that many people would normally spend time with family and friends to celebrate that day … it is a big part of who we are.”
“As important as it is, in a cultural sense, in a very passionate way, for every single football fan across our state, it is not worth risking all that we have done, all that we have built, all that we can do in just a few days’ time by having gatherings that are unsafe.”
Next big step in fortnight
People in Melbourne will be able to visit other people’s homes and retail and hospitality will reopen in part from November 2.
Mr Andrews said that from 11.59pm on November 1, including the new measure which will allow a maximum of two people plus dependent children able to visit another home once a day.
The ‘four reasons to leave home’ would also be removed from November 2.
“Not a bubble, not an exclusive arrangement, but essentially one family, two adults and children, to your home, once-a-day. No more often than that,” Mr Andrews said.
A maximum of 20 people inside and 50 people outside, depending on space limits, will be allowed at cafes and restaurants from this date. Retail, beauty and personal services will also reopen.
From this date, contact sport for under 18 -year-olds and non-contact for adults will recommence. A maximum of 20 people will be allowed for outdoor religious gatherings. A maximum of 10 people will be allowed at weddings. A maximum of 20 mourners at funerals.
Outdoor seated entertainment venues will be able to host a maximum of 50 people or 25 per cent of the venue’s fixed seat capacity.
Mr Andrews said if the case numbers remain low over the new week, “further announcements that what is slated for the first of November can be brought forward”.
“I hasten to add it will not be on (next) Sunday with immediate effect Sunday night. There will be a couple of days to make sure venues are, for example, COVIDSafe,” he said.
Further easing for Regional Victoria
Regional Victorians would also get some greater freedoms, he said.
Hospitality businesses outside Melbourne would be allowed to host up to 40 customers indoors and up to 70 people outdoors from 11.59pm on Sunday night.
Regional libraries and toy libraries will be able to reopen for a maximum of 20 people indoors while outdoor religious gatherings would be allowed with a limit of 20 people. Religious gatherings of up to 50 people would be allowed in two weeks.
“Not so long ago we had 725 cases and there was simply no way we could have a debate, a perfectly legitimate debate about how to open, went to open, how to do that,” Mr Andrews said.
“But Victorians, in every community, from every background, every circumstance, have stayed the course and we just have a little longer to go, just a little longer to go in order to see off the second wave, defeat the second wave, and then to find the normal and to begin the process of rebuilding.”