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Australia will host a clean energy summit next year under the Quad umbrella and take a bigger role in the supply of critical minerals in the Indo-Pacific region, Prime Minister Scott Morrison says.

Mr Morrison was speaking outside the White House at the end of the first in-person meeting of the leaders of Australia, the United States, India and Japan which make up the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue.

The gathering of the four major democracies was being closely observed by China, which earlier this week said it was "doomed to fail".

Mr Morrison said he and US President Joe Biden were "on the same page" on China, which has been steadily increasing its military and political influence in the Indo-Pacific region to the alarm of the US and others.

"What we talked about today is how we achieve a free and open Indo-Pacific and the way you do that is that countries like Australia and India and the United States and Japan, we stand up for the values that we believe in," Mr Morrison told reporters in Washington.

"We resist any suggestion or any pressure that would come on any of us to be anything different to what we are, and we want that opportunity for all countries in the Indo-Pacific."

On the planned climate summit to be held in Australia in 2022, Mr Morrison said it would be an "applied summit" focusing on expert research and technology.

It aims to deliver a roadmap to transfer scientific knowledge on clean energy to countries in the Indo-Pacific.

"This is about ... pulling together a very clear work program as to how clean energy supply chains can be built up," Mr Morrison said, without giving more details.

In tandem, the Quad leaders recognised the role a resource-rich Australia can play in the supply of critical minerals to support energy and other technologies.

"We are really good at digging stuff up in Australia and making sure it can fuel the rest of the world when it comes to the new energy economy," Mr Morrison said.

Critical minerals are metals and non-metals, like rare earth elements, deemed "at-risk" due to scarcity, geopolitical issues, trade policy or other factors.

They are used in the manufacture of semiconductors, mobile phones, flat-screen monitors, wind turbines, electric cars, solar panels and many other high-tech products, including defence equipment.

Mr Morrison was speaking ahead of the release of the official Quad communique, and before he leaves the US to head back to Australia.

Mr Morrison, Mr Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also discussed the supply and delivery of more than one billion COVID-19 vaccine doses for developing Indo-Pacific countries.

This builds on talks at the last meeting of Quad leaders in March, which was held online.

As part of their discussions on regional security issues, the leaders underlined their support for people trying to leave Afghanistan following the Taliban takeover of the country and the departure of US troops after 20 years.

Mr Morrison said the Quad, including Australia, wanted to help as many people as possible under their humanitarian programs.

"We want to be able to facilitate that," he said without giving further details.

© AAP 2021

The "challenging question" of when unvaccinated people can take part in society is undecided by the NSW government, but the state's treasurer says "open up" once everyone has been offered two jabs.

Treasurer Dominic Perrottet has said he does not want a "two-tiered society" in NSW.

"Once every single person in this state has had the opportunity be vaccinated with two doses then we should open up for everyone," Mr Perrottet told Sydney radio 2GB on Friday afternoon.

Opposition Leader Chris Minns suggested the comment could undermine public health messaging.

"It's really important the NSW government is singing from the same song sheet and continues to encourage people to get vaccinated," Mr Minns said.

The freedoms to be reinstated once the state reaches the 70 per cent target next month are limited to those who are fully vaccinated.

Those who have not received two jabs will not be able to attend restaurants, shops, pubs and other places that are set to reopen.

The NSW premier has discouraged people from thinking of the state's reopening next month as "Freedom Day".

NSW was "almost gallop(ing) to the finish line" of 70 per cent full vaccination among its eligible population, which would trigger the reopening, Gladys Berejiklian said on Friday.

But the government and its citizens must still behave responsibly, she said.

"I'm always wary of using terms like Freedom Day because when we start to open up it must be step-by-step, it has to be done cautiously," Ms Berejiklian told reporters.

The state reported 1043 new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm on Thursday, 20 fewer than the day before.

Eleven people died, of whom 10 were unvaccinated.

Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant told reporters "we will not (ever) go back to pre-COVID".

"We'll always have to be mindful that COVID exists ... It's not going to be back to normal," she said.

NSW residents would have to keep getting booster shots and listening to health advice when there were outbreaks, even when vaccination rates were higher, she said.

At least 84 per cent of NSW residents have had at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose, and more than 57 per cent are fully vaccinated.

One-third of NSW children aged between 12 and 15 have already been vaccinated despite being eligible for the jab for less than a fortnight.

There are 1186 COVID-19 patients in hospital in NSW, with 232 in intensive care beds and 110 on ventilators.

Meanwhile, alcohol is now allowed temporarily at some Sydney public parks to "reward and thank" vaccinated picnickers.

Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Rob Stokes said rules restricting alcohol at sites managed by Placemaking NSW will be put on hold until October 31.

"After an incredibly tough winter, people who have followed COVID rules and received both jabs deserve to enjoy a beer or wine responsibly," Mr Stokes said in a statement on Friday afternoon.

© AAP 2021

The reopening of NSW from next month should not be seen as "Freedom Day", the NSW premier has warned.

The state is "almost gallop(ing) to the finish line" of 70 per cent full vaccination among its eligible population, which will trigger the reopening, Gladys Berejiklian said on Friday.

But the government and its citizens must still behave responsibly, she said.

"I'm always wary of using terms like Freedom Day because when we start to open up it must be step-by-step, it has to be done cautiously," Ms Berejiklian told reporters.

Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant told reporters "we will not (ever) go back to pre-COVID".

"We'll always have to be mindful that COVID exists ... It's not going to be back to normal," she said.

NSW residents would have to keep getting booster shots and listening to health advice when there were outbreaks, even when vaccination rates were higher, she said.

The state reported 1043 new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm on Thursday, 20 fewer than the day before.

Eleven people died, of whom 10 were unvaccinated.

Dr Chant said authorities were seeing "pleasing declines" in case numbers but everyone needed to do their part to "hold the course".

While the government is yet to reveal what will happen when the state hits 80 per cent vaccination, Ms Berejiklian has foreshadowed it will mean more freedoms and travel are reinstated.

It had not yet decided on the "challenging question" of when unvaccinated people would be able to take part in society, the premier said.

Treasurer Dominic Perrottet made his position clear on Friday afternoon, telling Sydney radio 2GB it should be sooner rather than later.

"Once every single person in this state has had the opportunity be vaccinated with two doses then we should open up for everyone," Mr Perrottet said.

"I want to see more unity and not have a two-tiered society."

Opposition Leader Chris Minns suggested the comment could undermine public health messaging.

"It's really important the NSW government is singing from the same song sheet and continues to encourage people to get vaccinated," Mr Minns said.

The freedoms to be reinstated once the state reaches the 70 per cent target next month are limited to those who are fully vaccinated.

Those who have not received two jabs will not be able to attend restaurants, shops, pubs and other places that are set to reopen.

At least 84 per cent of NSW residents have had at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose, and more than 57 per cent are fully vaccinated.

One-third of NSW children aged between 12 and 15 have already been vaccinated despite being eligible for the jab for less than a fortnight.

Of the 11 deaths in the 24-hour reporting period, one person was in their 40s, two were in their 50s, one was in their 60s, six were in their 80s and one was in their 90s.

Among the deaths was a woman in her 80s who died at home in a social housing complex in Sydney's inner west and a man in his 40s who died at home.

Both were diagnosed with COVID-19 after death, Dr Chant said.

An Indigenous man in his 50s died at Broken Hill in the state's west.

It takes the death toll for the current outbreak in NSW to 277.

There are 1186 COVID-19 patients in hospital in NSW, with 232 in intensive care beds and 110 on ventilators.

The Glen Innes and Orange local government areas exited lockdown on Friday, but the lockdown in Hilltops will remain.

© AAP 2021