The Reserve Bank of Australia left the cash rate unchanged at a record low 0.1 per cent at its monthly board meeting.

However, the central bank is sticking with its decision to wind back one of its key stimulus measures, despite a deteriorating economic outlook caused by lengthy coronavirus lockdowns in the nation's two major cities.

RBA governor Philip Lowe said Australia's recovery had been interrupted by the outbreak of the Delta variant and the economy was expected to decline materially in the September quarter.

"This setback to the economic expansion is expected to be only temporary," Dr Lowe said in a statement following Tuesday's meeting.

"The Delta outbreak is expected to delay, but not derail, the recovery."

As such, the central bank will now be buying $4 billion worth of bonds per week rather than $5 billion as announced earlier this year.

Its bond-buying program aims to keep market interest rates and borrowing costs low.

Dr Lowe reiterated the RBA would not increase the cash rate until actual inflation was sustainably within the two to three per cent target range.

"The central scenario for the economy is that this condition will not be met before 2024," Dr Lowe said.

"Meeting this condition will require the labour market to be tight enough to generate wages growth that is materially higher than it is currently."

© AAP 2021

Scott Morrison has dismissed a backlash over his travel between locked-down Canberra and Sydney for Father's Day.

The prime minister accused former Labor leader Bill Shorten of a "cheap shot" after he described Mr Morrison's judgment as appalling.

Mr Morrison took an air force jet from the national capital to his hometown on Friday and spent the weekend in Sydney before returning to the ACT on Monday.

Health authorities granted him an exemption to return to Canberra with his movement restricted to The Lodge and Parliament House.

"In politics, people like to take a lot of swings at you and you get pretty used to it, but sometimes those jabs can be low blows," Mr Morrison told Sky News on Tuesday.

He cited secure documents and conversations as the reason he needed to work from Canberra on Monday.

"I can understand people's frustration but I do think there has been a lot of misinformation about this."

Mr Shorten said many Australians were unable to see family on Father's Day because of border closures.

"It's not that he doesn't deserve to see his kids, but so does every other Australian," the Labor frontbencher told the Nine Network.

"When people are doing it tough, you've got to do it tough too.

"You can't have one rule for Mr Morrison and another rule for everyone else. I just think it's appalling judgment."

The prime minister denied suggestions he tried to cover up the trip by posting a months-old family photo to social media on Father's Day.

"Frankly it's a bit of a cheap shot particularly given the leader of the Labor Party and I both understand these arrangements and don't take issue with them," Mr Morrison said.

Travel between Sydney and Canberra is banned unless an exemption is granted, with NSW and the ACT both under strict stay-at-home orders.

ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr said people were understandably frustrated with Mr Morrison's travel.

"It's not really a particularly good look," he told reporters in Canberra.

But he said it was reasonable to grant exemptions for the prime minister to attend meetings of the national security committee of cabinet.

"I'm not the prime minister's keeper. I don't offer political advice to the prime minister and he probably wouldn't listen even if I did."

Mr Barr said the ACT had to trust Mr Morrison could not have dialled in to the secure meeting from Sydney.

Federal Labor MP Luke Gosling tweeted a picture while quarantining in the Northern Territory after returning home following last week's parliamentary sitting.

"Happy to be doing my part at Howard Springs after being in Canberra for parliament," he said.

"Sure I missed Father's Day with my family but hey, we're all in this together right?"

© AAP 2021

Gold Coast's 2021 NRL season hasn't been the smoothest journey but for David Fifita it's the destination that counts.

The Titans ended a five-year finals drought by snatching eighth spot with a 44-0 thumping of the Warriors last Sunday, reaching the playoffs despite an underwhelming 10-14 record.

While they may have just snuck in before the finals door swung shut, now they're in the room Fifita says the aim is to make their presence felt starting with Saturday's elimination final against the Sydney Roosters.

"Everyone's all smiles. It's been a while since the Titans played finals and for myself, my first year down here, to be a part of it, I'm looking forward to it," the star forward said.

"This is where we wanted to be and we're here.

"Being in the top eight, playing finals footy, it's good for our fans and the community.

"Hopefully we can just keep doing the job now moving forward ... get everyone behind us."

Fifita, who has taken on a wrecking ball role off the bench in the last few weeks of the regular season, is battling a rib cartilage issue.

He isn't concerned however that he'll be a target of the Roosters' forward pack - particularly returning pair Jared Warea-Hargreaves and Victor Radley.

"It's all good, I don't mind, they can do whatever," the Queensland State of Origin representative said.

"If you watch that game last time we played them we just lost by a point and our forwards gave them a good job."

As to his own role, Fifita admits he'd prefer to be starting but can't argue with the results since he was shifted to the interchange bench both on a personal and team level.

His try-scoring double against the Warriors means the 21-year-old has scored 17 four-pointers this year to lead the way in that column for forwards in the entire NRL.

"I want to start but it's what's best for the team, we're getting the wins you know?," Fifita said.

"Beauie Fermor and Kevvie (Proctor) and the edges there are doing a good job and it is what it is."

© AAP 2021

The Wire actor Michael K Williams has been found dead aged 54 at his home in Brooklyn, police sources have told the PA news agency.

Williams, best known for playing the charismatic Omar Little on HBO's acclaimed crime drama, was found at about 2pm local time on Monday, PA understands.

As well as The Wire, Williams, who had a distinctive facial scar from a bar fight on his 25th birthday, had roles in gangster series Boardwalk Empire and TV film Bessie.

He was a four-time Emmy nominee for Bessie, The Night Of, When They See Us and Lovecraft Country.

Last week, it was announced Williams had joined the cast of Sony's untitled biopic of famed world heavyweight champion George Foremen.

He was set to play Doc Broadus, who was Foreman's trainer and mentor.

His other film roles included The Road, Inherent Vice and 12 Years A Slave.

However Williams will be best remembered for Omar, the gay, morally ambiguous criminal who frequently targets drug dealers.

The character was known for the distinctive duster jacket he wore to conceal weapons while wandering the streets of Baltimore.

Isiah Whitlock Jr starred alongside Williams in The Wire and paid tribute on Twitter.

He said: "Shocked and saddened by the death of Michael K Williams. One of the nicest brothers on the planet with the biggest heart. An amazing actor and soul. May you RIP. God bless."

© PAA 2021