THE Prime Minister Scott Morrison this evening announced that from noon on Monday all states would close pubs and clubs as well as cinemas, nightclubs, casinos, gyms, indoor sporting venues, churches and places of worship. Cafes and restaurants would only be open for takeaway.

ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr said: “I believe this decision is in the best interest of Canberrans, and will help slow the spread of COVID-19 in our community.

“Despite measures in place to discourage social interaction, there are still too many instances where people are exposing themselves to contracting the virus which is leading to an unsustainable increase in confirmed cases across the country.

“We must also face the reality that, as a territory within NSW, it would be impossible for the ACT to have different arrangements than those in our surrounding region.

“We will ensure that Canberrans continue to have access to the services they need – supermarkets, petrol stations, banks, pharmacies, post offices and convenience stores.

“Freight and logistics will also be considered as an essential service. Over the next 48 hours, we will define these essential services and work closely with retailers on their requirements.

“As the ACT has maintained, we will be following the recommendations from National Cabinet on the operation of schools. We will be transitioning to an alternate distance education program for most students on Tuesday as well as continuing to provide a face-to-face education program for those students who need it.”