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The NSW hospital system is far from buckling under the weight of COVID-19 cases despite a new record number of daily infections, the state's health minister says.

NSW reported 830 new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm on Saturday, another daily infection record, as well as three deaths.

The deaths were of a man in his 60s, a man in his 70s and a woman in her 80s, none of them fully vaccinated. The fatalities take the toll for the current outbreak to 71.

All of NSW is currently in lockdown and police have ramped up enforcement of restrictions as authorities battle to contain the spread of the Delta strain.

Lockdown settings will remain in place in regional NSW until at least August 28 and in Greater Sydney until at least September 30.

There are currently 94 COVID-19 patients in intensive care beds in NSW, with 31 ventilated.

Yet as case numbers mount and elimination of COVID-19 in NSW becomes unfeasible, Health Minister Brad Hazzard said the state's health system retained plenty of excess capacity to handle sick patients.

NSW Health said in a statement on Sunday that it currently manages about 500 intensive care unit beds, with a surge capacity of about 2000 when required.

There were also enough ventilators for each intensive care bed - about 2000.

Vaccinations - even with one dose - were also helping keep infected NSW residents out of hospital and intensive care. As of Friday, more than 57 per cent of the eligible population had received at least one vaccine dose and almost 31 per cent are fully vaccinated.

The government has flagged easing some restrictions once NSW reaches six million vaccinations, and significant freedoms at 70 and 80 per cent vaccination coverage.

"We have less than 100 people in ICU and quadrupled our ICU capacity last year ... from about 500 ventilators up to a few thousand," Mr Hazzard said.

"I've not had any advice at all at this stage that we are at a point of being concerned."

However this situation was predicated upon daily infection rates in NSW not jumping exponentially in the coming days and weeks.

Of the 830 cases in the 24 hours to 8pm on Saturday, the isolation status of almost 700 remains under investigation.

There were 36 new COVID-19 cases recorded in the Western NSW local health district.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian said on Saturday she'd noticed a "change in attitude" from her interstate counterparts and an acceptance "Delta is here".

Mr Hazzard reiterated those comments on Sunday, saying the Delta variant would inevitably breach every defence in the world. As such, getting vaccinated was the only long-term solution.

"Some states have relied on distance, so if you have a long highway across the desert, you can put a gate across it and say that's it," Mr Hazzard said in a reference to Western Australia.

"I hope we will be able to get the vaccination rates up in those jurisdictions in Australia which have not had the exposure to the virus to a great degree.

"That is more challenging because those communities have been lulled into a false sense of security."

He thanked residents of the 12 western and southwest Sydney council areas of concern for "voting with their feet and getting vaccinated".

Meanwhile, a concerted NSW Police operation to smother a planned anti-lockdown protest on Saturday appeared to be effective, with numbers a fraction of last month's rally.

Some 1500 police were involved in patrolling approaches to the CBD. NSW Police arrested 47 people and fined more than 260 in relation to protests across the state.

This included five people involved in an anti-lockdown protest in Albury on the NSW-Victoria border.

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Australian state and territory leaders are racing to hit COVID-19 inoculation targets as federal Labor calls for an eventual "reasonable debate" on vaccine passes.

National cabinet has agreed to set second dose thresholds of 70 and 80 per cent to significantly reduce the prospect of lockdowns.

More than 1.7 million doses were administered in the past week with a record 310,524 jabs delivered nationwide on Friday.

Australia has fully vaccinated 29.6 per cent of people over 16, while 51.8 per cent have received a first dose.

NSW meanwhile recorded 825 locally-acquired cases on Saturday, the highest ever daily increase of any state during the pandemic, along with three deaths.

When asked how anyone living under lockdown could have any hope, seeing those figures, Premier Gladys Berejikilian said people should focus on vaccination numbers.

NSW has now administered a first dose to 57.56 per cent of eligible people and a second dose to 30.81 per cent.

"While case numbers are going up, the more important figure going up is the vaccination rate," the premier told reporters.

"The vaccination rate is where we can look forward to living life freely."

The outbreak in Victoria is also spiralling with 61 new cases recorded on Saturday and the state's regional areas joining Greater Melbourne in lockdown from 1pm.

Almost 50.43 per cent of eligible Victorians have now had one dose and 29.37 per cent have had two doses of vaccine.

"Our long-term strategy to be open, to be growing, to be employing, to be in a very different world, is for 80 per cent of people to be through that vaccination program," Premier Daniel Andrews said.

"You can act on that right now, right now."

The ACT recorded eight new locally-acquired cases on Saturday with the outbreak in the territory hitting 102 cases.

Chief Minister Andrew Barr said with vaccination clinics booked out until October, a new mass vaccination hub will open at the Australian Institute of Sport.

Queensland recorded no new locally-acquired virus cases but the government remains restless over the NSW outbreak. Only exempt essential workers who've had at least one dose of a vaccine are allowed to cross the border.

Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young urged people to get the jab with 45.88 per cent of eligible people having had one dose and 27.4 per cent having two.

She said once the 80 per cent target is hit, her state would "probably" reopen to NSW and the rest of Australia regardless of any outbreaks.

She said at that point the state will no longer pursue COVID-19 eradication either.

"Once we open up we won't have zero cases, of course we won't, we'll have a disease that we can manage," Dr Young said.

Federal Employment Minister Stuart Robert praised the pace of the vaccine rollout.

"In the last three days over 900,000 vaccinations have occurred ... 900,000," he told reporters.

"It is equivalent to 215 per minute, It is an extraordinary rate of achievement being built."

Mr Robert said the Commonwealth was sharing individual's vaccination data with states and territories but he didn't indicate there was any federal plan for a vaccine pass system.

"Whether that vaccination certification data is used will depend of course on state and territory public health orders and that's a matter for those states and territories," he added.

Labor's health spokesman Mark Butler said when the 70 per cent target is hit there should be a "reasonable debate" about vaccine passes.

He said Qantas and some arts festivals have already flagged that proof of vaccination will be required for staff and patrons, respectively.

"So there does need to be that debate in Australia as there has been in countries overseas," he said.

"But we still only have about 20 per cent of the Australian population fully vaccinated."

Anti-lockdown protesters clashed with police in Melbourne on Saturday while hundreds also gathered in Brisbane's Botannical Gardens to make themselves heard.

More than 1500 officers thwarted efforts to hold an unauthorised demonstration in central Sydney.

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Hundreds of protesters have been arrested and many more fined as thousands of people flouted health orders to gather at anti-lockdown rallies across the country.

A 4000-strong crowd of mostly unmasked protesters letting off flares, yelling slogans and blasting music moved through Melbourne's CBD on Saturday afternoon.

Victorian police arrested 218 people and issued 236 fines, each worth $5452, for health order breaches.

Six police officers were hospitalised and three people remain in custody for allegedly assaulting police.

Police used pepper spray on multiple people and in a statement said they were left with "no choice but to use all tactics available to them".

In NSW, police arrested 47 people and fined more than 260 in relation to protests across the state.

They issued 137 tickets after stopping around 38,000 cars approaching the city.

Police said a 32-year-old man who allegedly assaulted an officer was arrested and charges are expected to be laid.

The constable was taken to hospital for head and neck injuries.

Deputy Commissioner Mal Lanyon said police expected to identify more people through CCTV and social media footage.

More than 2000 people also gathered in Brisbane City Botanic Gardens to rally against the lockdown and vaccine measures.

"Wake up sheeple," one sign read.

Queensland Police said no arrests had been made on Saturday afternoon.

SA Police also said no arrests were made at an anti-lockdown protest in Rundle Park in Adelaide.

© AAP 2021