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TV comedy Ted Lasso and the drama The Crown have clinched multiple Emmy Awards for the heart-warming tale of a struggling English soccer team and the lavish saga of the British royal family.

Jason Sudeikis, the star and co-creator of Ted Lasso, was named best comedy actor and the show on Sunday also brought statuettes for Britons Hannah Waddingham and Brett Goldstein for their supporting roles as the club owner and ageing star player.

"This show is about family. This show's about mentors and teachers and this show's about teammates. And I wouldn't be here without those three things in my life," Sudeikis said on accepting the award.

But it wasn't all plain sailing. Ted Lasso lost the comedy writing and directing awards to Hacks, about a fading stand-up female comedian played by Jean Smart, who got a standing ovation when she was named best comedy actress.

The early wins poised Ted Lasso to take one of the top prizes - best comedy series - at the end of the ceremony after winning over audiences with its optimism and folksy humour during the dark days of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Crown also looked set for its first best drama series Emmy after a season that focused on the unhappy marriage of Prince Charles and Princess Diana.

The Crown brought wins for supporting actors Gillian Anderson (as former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher) and Tobias Menzies (the late Prince Philip), as well as for writing and directing.

"We're all thrilled. I am very proud. I'm very grateful. We're going to party," said Peter Morgan, creator of The Crown, at a gathering in London for the cast and crew.

Olivia Colman and Josh O'Connor won the awards for drama actors.

Colman and O'Connor, who played Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles, in The Crown were named best drama actor and actress.

An exuberant Kate Winslet was named best actress for her turn as a troubled detective in the limited series Mare of Easttown, while Ewan McGregor won for playing fashion designer Halston.

Emmys host Cedric the Entertainer got Sunday's ceremony off to a rousing start with a musical rap, helped by the likes of Billy Porter, LL Cool J and Billy Porter on the theme of "TV - you got what I need."

Concerns over the Delta variant of the coronavirus forced Sunday's ceremony to move to an outdoor tent in downtown Los Angeles, with a reduced guest list and mandatory vaccinations and testing.

But the red carpet looked much like pre-pandemic days, with stars posing maskless in plunging gowns and bold colours.

In the closely contested limited series category, Julianne Nicholson and Evan Peters won for supporting roles as a housewife and detective in Mare of Easttown about a murder in a small Philadelphia town.

Mare of Easttown is also nominated for best limited series in a closely contested category that includes harrowing British rape drama I May Destroy You, innovative superhero dramedy WandaVision, and chess drama The Queen's Gambit.

The popular and satirical Saturday Night Live won for best variety sketch series.

© RAW 2021

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has departed for the United States for a series of meetings culminating in the first face-to-face Quad leaders' summit.

The White House meeting of the leaders of the US, Australia, India and Japan comes as senior Morrison government figures and defence officials warn of a "deteriorating strategic environment" in the Indo-Pacific region.

A more assertive China flexing its diplomatic, trade and military muscle is a key driving force behind the Quad.

Mr Morrison will also meet with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson in Washington, after lsat week announcing a security pact between Australia, the UK and US known as AUKUS.

The prime minister said the trip was about keeping Australians safe.

"This is always about ensuring that Australia's sovereign interests will be put first to ensure that Australians here can live peacefully with the many others in our region," he said at Sydney Airport on Monday.

"That's what we desire as a peaceful and free nation."

The AUKUS agreement brought with it a deal to build at least eight nuclear-powered submarines to replace Australia's Collins-class vessels.

Mr Morrison said the government lifting defence spending to two per cent of gross domestic product sent a clear message.

"Australia will always look to others, but we will never have to leave it to others," he said.

"We'll be able to sit at the table with our partners and our friends to create a more secure and more stable world, particularly here in the Indo-Pacific."

It is expected the Quad leaders, who met virtually in March, will announce partnerships in the areas of COVID-19 vaccines production and supply, climate, and critical and emerging technologies.

There are fears China is using vaccine supply as a strategic tool in winning over governments in the region.

Foreign Minister Marise Payne, who was in Washington for ministerial talks last week, said nations struggling with the pandemic's impact on health and their economies needed confidence "there are options available".

"We are guided by the priorities of our partner countries as we support them in their recovery from COVID-19 through enhanced access to vaccines and strengthened health security infrastructure," she said.

"Our question is 'what do you need?' Not 'how can you serve our strategic interests?'."

The Quad leaders are expected to agree on further areas of cooperation to be worked on over the coming year.

Mr Morrison will address the United Nations General Assembly, but rather than travelling to New York it will be a prerecorded virtual speech.

In his first White House meeting with Joe Biden, the prime minister is expected to discuss regional security and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mr Morrison is not expected to make any announcements on climate policy, as he and other leaders prepare for the COP26 talks in Glasgow in November.

© AAP 2021

Melbourne will be in lockdown until late October, with greater freedoms to be granted to fully vaccinated Victorians once the state reaches the 80 per cent double-dose target.

Premier Daniel Andrews on Sunday unveiled Victoria's "cautious" roadmap out of lockdown, as the state recorded 507 new COVID-19 cases and the death of a man in his 90s, bringing the toll from the latest outbreak to 11.

According to the plan, outdoor sports such as golf and tennis can return and the 10-kilometre travel limit will increase to 15km when 80 per cent of Victorians aged over 16 have received a single vaccine dose, which is forecast for September 26.

Melbourne's restrictions will then remain unchanged until 70 per cent of Victorians are double vaccinated, which is forecast for October 26.

At that stage, the city's curfew will be lifted, the 10km travel limit will increase to 25km and pubs, restaurants and cafes will be able to open outdoors with a limit of 50 fully vaccinated people.

Fully vaccinated people will also be able to get a haircut and gather outdoors in groups of 10, while religious ceremonies and community sport can also resume outdoors.

Once Victoria reaches its 80 per cent double-dose target, forecast about November 5, the travel limit is scrapped altogether, retail, gyms and beauty services can reopen for the fully vaccinated and hospitality can resume indoors. Childcare can also return.

Mandatory masks will remain only indoors.

Home gatherings of up to 10 vaccinated people will be allowed, while at Christmas the figure is expected to increase to 30.

The reopening of schools will not be tied to vaccination coverage, with Year 12 students going back to class on October 6 and a staggered return of other years starting with Prep to Year 2s on October 18.

"We are opening up, no doubt about that, and there will be no turning back," Mr Andrews told reporters.

"There will be pain, it will be challenging, it will be very hard on our amazing doctors, nurses and ambos and the whole team in our hospitals. We will support them, we'll stand with them."

Burnett Institute modelling commissioned by the Victorian government forecasts the state will reach a peak of between 1400 to 2900 daily COVID-19 cases between October 19 and 31, based on current numbers.

The demand on the healthcare system will grow as a result, with an estimated 1200 to 2500 COVID-19 patients requiring hospitalisation, and between 260 and 550 requiring intensive care treatment.

The modelling also forecasts a "second epidemic peak" in mid-December after restrictions are eased, which could push hospitalisations over 2500.

The modelling has an underlying assumption that vaccines will be mandatory for authorised workers, teachers, childcare workers, parents of childcare workers, hospitality workers and hospitality patrons.

Mr Andrews said Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton is considering mandating vaccines for several industries, noting rules have already come into effect for aged care, healthcare, construction and freight workers.

Professor Sutton described the roadmap as a "tightrope" between protecting the health system and looking after the wellbeing of Victorians.

Opposition Leader Matthew Guy described the plan as "too harsh for too long", while the Victorian Chamber of Commerce and the Australian Hotels Association were among businesses groups describing it as conservative when compared with NSW.

Meanwhile, Greater Geelong, the Surf Coast and Mitchell Shire will enter a seven-day lockdown from 11.59pm on Sunday, putting the areas under the same restrictions as Melbourne with the exception of curfew.

© AAP 2021