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Melbourne's controversial curfew will be scrapped, with people able to travel up to 25 kilometres and have a beer outside the pub once 70 per cent of Victorians aged over 16 are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

But the most substantial changes to the state's restrictions won't be made until 80 per cent of people are immunised, which is forecast to occur about November 5.

Premier Daniel Andrews on Sunday unveiled Victoria's "cautious" roadmap out of lockdown, as the state recorded 507 new virus cases and another death, bringing the toll from the latest outbreak to 11.

He also announced Greater Geelong, the Surf Coast and Mitchell Shire will enter a seven-day lockdown from 11.59pm on Sunday, meaning the regions will be under the same restrictions as Melbourne and Ballarat.

According to the roadmap, when 80 per cent of Victorians aged over 16 have received a single vaccine dose, outdoor tennis and golf can return.

Once 70 per cent of Victorians are double vaccinated, which is forecast for October 26,metropolitan Melbourne's 9pm-5am curfew will be lifted and the 10km travel limit will be increased to 25km.

Pubs, restaurants and cafes will be able to open outdoors, with a limit of 50 fully vaccinated people.

Hairdressing can return for the fully vaccinated with a maximum of five people in a salon at a time.

Outdoor gatherings can increase to a maximum of 10 fully vaccinated people or five unvaccinated, while outdoor pools, community facilities and sport can return with a cap of 50 vaccinated people.

Outdoor religious gatherings can also take place for up to 50 vaccinated people and 20 unvaccinated, though for weddings only 10 unvaccinated people can attend.

Year 12 students can go back to face-to-face learning for the start of term four on October 6, with a staggered return of other years starting with Prep to Year 2s on October 18.

The remaining year levels will be able to return on October 26 but only Year 7 and Year 11s will be able to attend five days per week.

Once 80 per cent of eligible Victorians are vaccinated, retail, hairdressing and beauty services, and childcare can reopen for the fully-vaccinated, with strict density limits, and hospitality can return indoors.

People will be able to have private gatherings of up to 10 vaccinated people, while at Christmas it is expected that will increase to 30.

Late last week, about 120,000 doctors, nurses, paramedics and allied health workers urged the state government to prioritise the health system and its workforce over easing restrictions.

Through their unions, the health workers called for "accurate modelling" on expected ambulance demand, hospitalisations, intensive care patients and deaths.

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.

This would lead to a peak of between 1200 to 2500 Victorians requiring hospitalisation, including between 260 and 550 requiring an intensive care bed.

The modelling found a significant easing of restrictions once 80 per cent of people are fully vaccinated means an almost two-in-three chance of a second epidemic peak in mid-December, which would push hospitalisations over 2500.

High rates of symptomatic testing in vaccinated people would reduce the risk to a one-in-three chance.

The state government's roadmap out of lockdown goes further than the restrictions modelled.

As of Saturday, there more than 200 Victorians are in hospital with the virus, 56 in intensive care and 40 on ventilators to breathe.

© AAP 2021

Photo: Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews addresses the media during a press conference in Melbourne, Wednesday, September 15, 2021. (AAP Image/James Ross)

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 24

First preliminary final

South Sydney v Manly at Suncorp Stadium, 7.50pm

Manly sent a reminder of how dangerous they can be in their 42-6 shellacking of the Sydney Roosters, as Tom Trbojevic again ran rampant. But a different challenge awaits on Friday night. South Sydney's effort to shut down Penrith's attack a week ago showed they are now closer to the complete game than ever before, making them favourites to reach the decider. They also have attacking weapons in Cody Walker and Adam Reynolds. However, it's unlikely the Rabbitohs will want to get caught in a high-scoring shootout. Souths easily knocked over Manly in the wet back in round two, but the Sea Eagles are significantly improved since then. The teams have not met in the finals since the opening week of 2014, when the Rabbitohs blew Manly out early before wrapping up the game 40-24.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 25

Second preliminary final

Melbourne v Penrith at Suncorp Stadium, 4pm

The match up most had pencilled in for a second straight grand final comes a week early after Penrith were forced to do it the hard way against Parramatta. And it will still only get tougher for the Panthers. While Melbourne were off resting their bodies on the Sunshine Coast, Penrith were forced to fight through the lowest scoring and arguably most intense game of the season. Viliame Kikau's knee could linger as a point of concern alongside Brian To'o's ankle, while Mitch Kenny is likely to need a miracle to overcome a "pretty serious" ankle injury. Penrith beat Melbourne in a thriller in the opening month of the season, while their second game was a write-off with Penrith seriously depleted. But the reality is the Storm are a far better side than they were in March, while Penrith need to return to that form.

© AAP 2021

IMAGE CREDIT: Kgbo, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

France considers that it is in a "crisis" with Australia and the United States after the cancellation of a multi-billion dollar submarine order, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian says.

Le Drian said on Friday he was recalling France's ambassadors from both countries over a trilateral security deal also involving the United Kingdom which sank the submarine contract with a French firm.

Le Drian also said President Emmanuel Macron had not spoken with US President Joe Biden about the submarine issue.

"The fact that, for the first time in the history of relations between the United States and France, we are recalling our ambassador for consultations is a grave political act that shows the intensity of the crisis today between our two countries and also with Australia," Le Drian told France 2 television.

"There has been duplicity, contempt and lies - you can't play that way in an alliance," he added.

Australia announced on Thursday it would scrap its 2016 deal with France's Naval Group to build a fleet of conventional submarines and instead build at least eight nuclear-powered ones with US and UK technology after striking a trilateral security pact.

Le Drian again drew a parallel between the US president's action and the unpredictable style of his predecessor Donald Trump, adding that Biden had acted "without the tweets but with a sort of solemn announcement that is rather unbearable".

The minister also repeated criticism of what France sees as opportunism from former European Union member the UK in joining forces with the US and Australia, calling London "the spare tyre" of the initiative.

Meanwhile, Europe Minister Clement Beaune told French television that the UK appeared to have become a "junior partner" to the US as part of the AUKUS military alliance.

"Our British friends explained to us they were leaving the EU to create Global Britain. We can see that this is a return into the American lap and a form of accepted vassalisation," Beaune said.

"The UK is clearly trying to find its feet, perhaps there was a lack of thought about the strategic future. Today they are hiding in the American fold. I hope that will not be their policy for the decades to come."

with PA

© RAW 2021

IMAGE CREDIT: https://catalog.archives.gov/