“That is what has been happening. There aren’t mandated requirements for the flu or for a range of other illnesses that people suffer from.”

Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly briefed the national cabinet on the implications of following the United States in reducing isolation from seven to five days.

Ahead of the meeting NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet and some business groups had beenpushing for the isolation period to be reduced,while most national cabinet members said they would be guided by the health advice. The Health Services Union called for isolation to be scrapped,following the UK’s example,while public health experts warned isolation was a critical part of reducing transmission.

Labor MP Michelle Ananda-Rajah,an infectious diseases physician before winning Higgins at the May election,tweeted on Tuesday that “five days is not enough”.

Pressed on whether the isolation period would drop from five days to zero in October if there were no longer support payments available,Albanese said leaders would reassess the need for any isolation period “at some time in the future” but would not be drawn on when it might be scrapped. No premiers made a case for reducing isolation below five days,he said.

“Gradually,as we come to deal with COVID over a long period of time,we need to ensure that the mechanisms that have been put in place ... by government that impose restrictions on people,that
we reassess them at an appropriate time,” he said.

Earlier on Wednesday,union leader Sally McManus said people should still receive leave payments as long as there were mandatory isolation periods,for equity reasons.

“Some people are paid and some people are not paid. Obviously,for those people who aren’t paid,it’s much harder for them to follow those orders,and that affects all of us in terms of there being a greater spread of the virus,” the ACTU secretary said.

But Treasurer Jim Chalmers said the paymentscould not continue to be extendedindefinitely.

Services Australia will update its website by the end of Friday with the new eligibility rules for the leave payments to reflect the changes starting on September 9. The government is still considering whether the payment amount will drop from $750 to reflect the shorter time in isolation.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said earlier on Wednesday he expected the state to move as fast as possible to reflect the decisions of the national cabinet.

He said he thought masks should remain for public transport in Victoria,and said he would personally continue wearing a mask on planes.

But Andrews hinted that public health advice to work from home could soon be changed.

“We very much look forward to seeing the minister making that announcement,that’s being actively considered and we will make announcements about that very,very soon,” he said.

Pandemic advisor to the federal government Professor James McCaw said he did not believe Victoria should rush to alter its public health advice on working from home and masks.

“I do not think the advice in Victoria should change,” McCaw said. “The government advice today is still just as sensible as it was yesterday and as it will be tomorrow to minimise your risk.”

Cut through the noise of federal politics with news,views and expert analysis from Jacqueline Maley. Subscribers can sign up to our weeklyInside Politics newsletter here.

With Rachel Eddie and Melissa Cunningham