Now to the headlines. The Prime Minister will today ask National Cabinet to increase international arrival caps to help more stranded Australians get home. Last month, the number of arrivals into New South Wales, Queensland, and Western Australia were slashed in half because of concerns about new COVID strains. It's expected the Federal Government will also come under pressure from some states to take much greater responsibility for the quarantine program.
Victorian authorities are working to find the source of a positive case in one of its quarantine workers, with concern mounting about the potential airborne spread of the virus. The man's remaining close contacts will receive their test results today. Huge lines at testing sites are expected once again after thousands turned out yesterday.
It is much better news, though, on the other side of the country, with the lockdown of more than 2 million West Australians set to end at 6:00 this evening. The restrictions will ease provided there are no more cases of COVID-19 picked up between now and then. Most businesses will be allowed to reopen, but people in the Perth and Peel regions will be forced to wear masks in nearly all settings.
And in breaking news, we are learning a woman has drowned in the surf on Queensland's Gold Coast. Police say she was found unconscious in the water at Broadbeach by a member of the public just after 10:00 last night. Attempts were made to revive her, but sadly she died at the scene. A search is also under way for a man, understood to have been swimming with her at the time.
