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Former Test cricketer and commentator Michael Slater has been charged with assaulting and trying to intimidate a man in a Sydney hospital, continuing his court troubles.

The 52-year-old didn't appear before Manly Local Court on Wednesday, entering pleas of not guilty through a lawyer to two charges of common assault and one of attempted intimidation.

The alleged offences against a 36-year-old man occurred on July 18 at the Northern Beaches Hospital.

A court registrar ordered the police brief be served on Slater's lawyer by September 28. Slater's reply is due on October 12, when the matter returns to court.

A local court in April dismissed domestic violence charges against Slater, discharging the former opening batsman into the care of a doctor on the condition he completes a year-long treatment plan.

His lawyer had earlier raised Slater's alcohol abuse and mental health concerns in answer to the cricketer contacting his ex-partner 84 times in one night, in breach of a restraining order.

Slater played in 74 Tests for Australia, scoring 5312 runs at an average of 42.83 after making his debut during the 1993 Ashes tour of England.

He also played 42 one-day internationals before retiring from major cricket in 2004 and embarking on a successful commentary career with Nine and Seven networks.

Seven dropped him ahead of last summer's cricket season, citing budgetary pressures.

Slater also made headlines in 2021 when criticising the government's decision to impose a flight ban on all travellers from India in response to escalating COVID-19 infections.

At one stage he claimed then-prime minister Scott Morrison had "blood on his hands" over his handling of the situation.

Mr Morrison later described the comments as "obviously absurd".

His Twitter feed has been inactive since.

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Isolation requirements and pandemic leave payments will be at the top of the agenda when federal, state and territory leaders meet for national cabinet.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will host his colleagues in Sydney on Wednesday afternoon, where state premiers will push to shorten the COVID-19 isolation time from seven to five days.

But while the federal government will be responsive to the health advice, Australians should not expect the emergency payments to go on forever, Treasurer Jim Chalmers said.

"The reality ... is that kind of support can't continue forever (and) it's also contingent on some of the other ways that we're responding to this health and economic challenge," he told reporters in Canberra on Wednesday.

"One of the issues at play is the length of the isolation period and, not wanting to pre-empt the discussion that will happen this afternoon, it's a relevant consideration as well."

But if isolation is mandated, payments must continue, the Australian Council of Trade Unions says.

"You need to make sure that people are supported to do so and you need to do that because of equity reasons, some people are paid (sick leave) and some aren't," ACTU secretary Sally McManus told reporters.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said the government cannot ask people to choose between keeping their workplaces healthy and feeding their children.

"I very much support continuing that pandemic payment," he told reporters in Melbourne.

"It doesn't expire until the end of September but I would be very strongly of the view that our partnership with the Commonwealth should in fact continue."

Meanwhile, NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet is calling for a nationally consistent approach on isolation requirements.

Mr Perrottet wants the isolation period reduced from seven to five days to help businesses struggling with workforce shortages.

But Health Services Union secretary Gerard Hayes said isolation requirements should be scrapped all together, and the government needs to get ahead of the curve so people can live with the virus rather than ignoring rules they see as an imposition.

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton said the community expected arrangements put in place at the height of the pandemic to be unwound over time.

LATEST 24-HOUR COVID-19 DATA:

Victoria: 2857 cases, 26 deaths, 333 in hospital with 20 in ICU

NSW: 5434 cases, 22 deaths, 1802 in hospital with 38 in ICU

Tasmania: 269 cases, three deaths (including two historical), 28 in hospital with two in ICU

ACT: 236 cases, no deaths, 90 in hospital with two in ICU

Queensland: 2294 cases, 14 deaths, 316 in hospital with 10 in ICU

SA: 639 cases, three deaths, 116 in hospital with six in ICU

WA: 1380 cases, one death, 228 in hospital with six in ICU

NT: 123 cases, no deaths, 20 in hospital with no one in ICU

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Cameron Smith is set to become the poster boy of LIV Golf after becoming the first current top-10 player to sign with the rebel circuit.

The world No.2 and reigning British Open champion says he couldn't ignore the massive money on offer from the Saudi-backed organisation, while the prospect of playing more golf in Australia was also a lure.

Confirmation of a long-suspected move came with an official announcement from LIV late Tuesday night, with Marc Leishman also jumping ship bringing the number of Australians to eight, with Matt Jones the next biggest name of the octet.

Australian LIV CEO Greg Norman revealed earlier this month the circuit was looking to hold an event Down Under in 2023 and has been scouting potential venues.

"The biggest thing for me joining is (LIV's) schedule is really appealing," Smith told Golf Digest.

"I'll be able to spend more time at home in Australia and maybe have an event down there, as well. I haven't been able to do that, and to get that part of my life back was really appealing."

However, he admitted the financial rewards were also tempting - Smith is reported to have received a $US100 million ($A145m) signing-on fee.

"(That) was definitely a factor in making that decision, I won't ignore that or say that wasn't a reason," Smith said.

"It was obviously a business decision for one and an offer I couldn't ignore."

Smith and Leishman are among six players joining the circuit in time for its fourth event, at The International course in Boston teeing off on September 2-4.

The other four are Chile's world No.19 Joaquin Niemann, India's highest-ranked player Anirban Lahiri, and Americans Harold Varner III and Cameron Tringale.

Queenslander Smith has had a stellar season, winning the Players Championship as well as the Open. The 29-year-old was also tied for third at The Masters, one of three top-five finishes at Augusta National in the last five years.

Leishman has won six PGA Tour events and has been ranked as high as world No.12, although the Victorian now sits at 62nd.

The 38-year-old has twice finished in the top five in both the Open and the Masters but has missed the cut in seven of his past 15 major appearances.

Both players are still eligible for the Australian PGA at Royal Queensland in November followed by the Australian Open at the Victoria GC, with PGA of Australia chair Rodger Davis welcoming them to the the summer of golf.

"These two major Australian events headline the upcoming summer of golf, one of the biggest for years, and there's no doubt our fans are looking forward to our growing line-up of homegrown stars like Cam Smith and Marc Leishman," Davis said in a statement on Wednesday.

The local body said it would continue to navigate through the changes to world golf, which it described as in "a state of flux".

It said it maintained strong alliances with both the PGA Tour and European Tour, which co-sanctions the upcoming Australian tournaments.

Both Australian players will not be considered for next month's Presidents Cup.

The $A36m Boston event features a 48-man field playing 54 holes. Other Australians in the field besides Smith, Leishman and Jones are current Australian PGA champion Jed Morgan and Wade Ormsby.

© AAP 2022