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Reserve Bank board members think switching back to a faster pace of interest rate hikes would have unnecessarily disrupted Australians' confidence.

In the minutes from the November board meeting, the central bank outlined the reasoning behind its 25 basis points interest rate hike.

The lagging impact of rate hikes was mentioned again, as well as the effect of cooling house prices on consumer behaviour.

"Previous episodes of lower housing prices and turnover had seen a large effect on consumer spending, in part through the wealth channel of transmission," the minutes said.

A return to the 50 basis point hike was discussed - especially in light of hotter-than-expected inflation in the September quarter - but board members said this could impact confidence.

"The board agreed that acting consistently would support confidence in the monetary policy framework among financial market participants and the community more broadly," they said.

Board members have not ruled out returning to larger hikes if the situation calls for it, and opened the door to pausing rate hikes to give them a chance to take effect.

"The board is prepared to keep rates unchanged for a period while it assesses the state of the economy and the inflation outlook," they said.

"Interest rates are not on a pre-set path."

At the same time, the central bank warned there would be more interest rate hikes to come "over the period ahead".

Meanwhile, consumer confidence has lifted for the first time in six weeks as Australians grow more optimistic about their financial future.

A bump in the "future financial conditions'' gauge helped push up ANZ and Roy Morgan's weekly indicator by 2.7 per cent.

But consumer sentiment remains well below historical averages and has a long way to go to recover from the cumulative 10.4 per cent decline in the previous six weeks.

"The lift in confidence doesn't change the fact it remains at a level not matched since the early 1990s recession, putting aside the early pandemic period," ANZ head of Australian economics David Plank said.

Respondents felt more positive about the future last week, with the "future financial conditions'' sub-index climbing 4.9 per cent and "future economic conditions'' lifting three per cent.

However, ''good time to buy a major household item'' fell again last week, the fifth time in six weeks.

Mr Plank said downcast consumer sentiment was still not reflected in spending data in a meaningful way.

© AAP 2022

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Australians won't be able to receive a third COVID-19 vaccine booster until at least next year.

The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) said it did not recommend the rollout of a fifth vaccine dose, or third booster, despite a rise in the number of virus cases.

Health Minister Mark Butler said ATAGI noted an extra booster was unlikely to reduce the fourth wave of cases.

"At this point in time, (ATAGI) have said they anticipate new booster recommendations being made in early 2023 in preparation for the southern hemisphere winter," he told reporters in Canberra on Tuesday.

"Any reduction in transmission by adding a fifth dose to the system would, in (ATAGI's) words, likely be minimal."

The decision coincides with ATAGI's decision to approve a new COVID-19 vaccine for use that offers protection from two strains of the virus.

ATAGI approved the Pfizer bivalent vaccine for use as a booster.

It will be available from December 12 for people aged 18 and older.

The bivalent vaccine provides protection against the original strain and the Omicron variant.

Mr Butler said the rollout of the new vaccine was not triggered by the spike in cases.

"It's not driven by any particular sub-variant of the Omicron strain of the virus - it's been something of a soup of other variants," he said.

There has been a 47 per cent increase in the number of COVID cases in the past week.

Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly said there was a small lift in the number of people getting booster doses following the wave, which was nearing its mid-point.

"If it ends up being similar to (Singapore's recent wave), and I believe it will, then it should peak soon and drop quickly."

While cases are rising, Mr Butler said the case numbers were about 85 per cent below the numbers seen during the peak in late July.

Vaccine boosters are available to people 16 years and older.

Second boosters are available for those 30 years and older within three months of the first booster, or those 16 and older if they are immunocompromised or living in aged or disability care.

ATAGI has also approved the paediatric Pfizer vaccine for at-risk children between six months old and five years old, with the rollout to begin mid-January.

The paediatric vaccines are being limited to children who are severely immunocompromised or have a condition that puts them at risk of COVID.

Prof Kelly said he would not speculate on when the current wave of cases would peak but recent spikes overseas had been short and sharp compared to earlier ones.

"We're in a very different situation than we were this time last year - all of the tools in the armoury that we would want to deal with a wave are well supplied, unlike last summer," he said.

Last week, health department secretary Professor Brendan Murphy told a Senate estimates committee hearing the government was yet to make a "firm" decision on continuing COVID-19 funding for hospitals - in place until December 31 - after the end of this year.

Asked if a decision had been made to continue the special hospital funding beyond 2022, Mr Butler said the government would have more to say about "other COVID arrangements".

© AAP 2022

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Medical authorities have approved a new COVID-19 vaccine for use in Australia that offers protection from two strains of the virus.

As Australia deals with a fourth rise of COVID cases, the country's leading vaccine advisory body has approved the Pfizer bivalent vaccine for use as a booster.

The bivalent vaccine, which provides protection against the original strain and the Omicron variant, will be available from December 12 for people 18 and older.

The Pfizer next-generation vaccine is the second bivalent vaccine that has been approved for use following the rollout of the Moderna bivalent vaccine last month.

The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation said the new Pfizer vaccine was able to trigger a modest improvement in the immune response against both strains of the virus.

Health Minister Mark Butler said the new round of vaccines would be another tool to combat rising case numbers.

"The Australian government has added this next generation Pfizer vaccine to our armour against COVID-19," he said.

"This is a reminder to all Australians to make sure you are up to date with your COVID vaccinations. Now is the time to get your booster."

COVID case numbers have spiked in Australia in recent days, prompting experts to declare the start of a fourth wave of cases.

Vaccine boosters are available to people 16 years and older, while second boosters are available for those 30 years and older within three months of the first booster, or those over 16 if they are immunocompromised, living in aged or disability care.

ATAGI has also approved the paediatric Pfizer vaccine for at-risk children between six months old and five years old. That rollout will begin from mid-January next year.

The paediatric vaccines are being limited to children who are severely immunocompromised or who have a condition that put them at risk of COVID.

© AAP 2022

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The NRL's integrity unit are working with World Cup officials as Sydney Roosters star Victor Radley is investigated over an alleged fracas with an Irish player.

Radley, who played for England in the World Cup, is at the centre of allegations of a hotel altercation with Ireland international James Bentley.

The Roosters lock was part of a group of England players still at their Manchester hotel on Monday after their 27-26 semi-final defeat at the hands of Samoa in London.

Bentley was invited to the England hotel where a number of the squad's NRL-based players were staying before returning to Australia.

Sources with knowledge of the incident have told AAP Radley was not the instigator of the incident.

Instead, the altercation came after verbal abuse directed at England coach Shaun Wane over Bentley's non-selection in the national squad.

After Bentley was asked to leave, he and Radley are understood to have become embroiled in an argument.

"The NRL Integrity Unit is aware of the matter and liaising with Rugby League World Cup officials," an NRL spokesman told AAP.

England's Rugby Football League are also investigating, with Bentley a part of Leeds' Super League squad that reached this year's grand final.

"The RFL have been made aware of allegations and are currently investigating the matter," they governing body said in a statement.

Radley's selection in the English squad was a controversial one, given he is Australia-born and based.

However the 24-year-old made the call to give up potential future NSW State of Origin representation by honouring his father's heritage.

It is not the first time Radley has found himself in hot water.

He was suspended for two games at the start of 2021 for an incident in Byron Bay, although again it was claimed he was not the instigator of the situation.

He was also told by Roosters coach Trent Robinson midway through last year it was time to grow up and "act like a man in public" after being removed from a plane over alleged drunkenness.

The lock insisted he had heeded the message earlier this year, desperate to clean up his on-field and off-field act after a 2021 littered with suspensions.

"The last two years I haven't played as much as I would have liked to," Radley said in March.

"I spoke last year about how I wanted to be a leader, and I didn't really do that."

© AAP 2022