Highlights
- Sydneysiders can have 30 visitors at home, up to 50 at outdoor gatherings and more guests at weddings
- Around 37,000 Australians are stranded overseas
- The announcement comes as fears grow of more flight cancellations for stranded Australians as the UK bans flights from the UAE
Queensland premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has called on the federal government to "take greater responsibility for international quarantine".
In a statement posted on Twitter, Ms Palaszczuk says federal funding is necessary to ensure more infectious overseas variants do not escape into the community.
She says the state's hotel quarantine has been effective so far, but it is time for a nationally-consistent international quarantine plan.
"We are not out of the woods. We do not know how long this global pandemic will continue. And we are seeing alarming rates overseas]. And we will continue to be vigilant. We will continue to monitor what is happening overseas. And that is why we need the best defence, and that is of course our hotel quarantine."
Australians stranded in Europe face yet another hurdle to returning home, after the United Kingdom banned incoming passenger flights from the United Arab Emirates.
The Australian consulate in London says it is working with Emirates and Etihad to understand the impact on outbound travel from the UK.
United Arab Emirates carriers Etihad and Emirates are among the few airlines still flying to Australia due to caps on returning overseas arrivals and an almost year-long international travel ban.
Around 37,000 Australians are stranded overseas.
Health minister Greg Hunt says if more flights are needed to help stranded Australians overseas comes home, more will be provided.
