NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / World

Coronavirus: Australian PM orders pubs, gyms and casinos closed from midday

By Victoria Craw
news.com.au·
22 Mar, 2020 05:02 PM5 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has called time on pubs and gyms but critics say the measures do not go far enough. Photo / Sam Mooy, Getty Images)
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has called time on pubs and gyms but critics say the measures do not go far enough. Photo / Sam Mooy, Getty Images)

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has called time on pubs and gyms but critics say the measures do not go far enough. Photo / Sam Mooy, Getty Images)

Life in Australia will change drastically from today due to dramatic measures introduced to stop the spread of coronavirus.

However, some say the Prime Minister is still not going far enough, with calls to "shut Australia down" to stop the potentially deadly infection spreading and reports of discord among state premiers.

READ MORE:
• Covid 19 coronavirus: Front-line health workers and other medical staff want alert level 4 now
• Covid 19 coronavirus alert level 2: Officials probe possible NZ community cases; UK and Italy deaths soar
• Covid 19 coronavirus: What you need to know about Sunday's big developments
• Coronavirus: Auckland's Glendowie College closed after positive Covid-19 test

Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced a host of dramatic changes on Sunday evening that will take effect on Monday, March 23 at midday.

It came after a meeting of state and territory premiers and chief ministers who agreed to enhance social distancing measures after Australians appeared not to be taking them seriously enough.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"Practising good hygiene and keeping a healthy physical distance between individuals is our most powerful weapon in fighting this virus and saving lives. The failure of some businesses and members of the public to do this puts people's lives at risk," Morrison said.

• Covid19.govt.nz: The Government's official Covid-19 advisory website

The Prime Minister's office maintained the decisions made were by consensus with state leaders, however a report in the Australian claims the PM "walked the states back" from pushing for a further shutdowns.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"All leaders signed up to the national Cabinet for a reason. It was meant to provide a unified position on a national crisis. Instead the premiers wet the bed and went it alone," Simon Benson wrote in the Australian about earlier announcements from NSW and VIC premiers.

'STAGE ONE' RESTRICTIONS IN PLACE

From today "stage one" restrictions will be introduced and will be reviewed on a monthly basis. They are expected to last for at least six months but could be escalated before that time in accordance with public health advice.

It means pubs, clubs (excluding bottle shops), hotels (excluding accommodation), gyms and indoor sporting venues, cinemas, entertainment venues, casinos, and night clubs will be closed from midday.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison speaks with NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian (on screen) during a National Cabinet meeting to discuss Covid-19 measures. Photo / Alex Ellinghausen, Getty Images
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison speaks with NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian (on screen) during a National Cabinet meeting to discuss Covid-19 measures. Photo / Alex Ellinghausen, Getty Images

Restaurants and cafes will be restricted to takeaway and/or home delivery. Religious gatherings, places of worship or funerals must be held in very small groups where the one person every four square metres rule applies.

Discover more

World

Coronavirus: The Middle East's most vulnerable face a deepening nightmare

20 Mar 11:12 PM
World

4000 deaths in a month: How coronavirus overwhelmed Italy

22 Mar 03:57 AM
World

Alcohol replaces toilet paper as the must-have purchase in the UK

21 Mar 09:31 PM
World

Coronavirus: State-wide shutdowns in Aussie

22 Mar 04:27 AM

The restrictions do not apply to isolated remote community hubs.

Further closures of other facilities could be considered under "stage 2 restrictions" which have not yet been announced.

"We will be living with this virus for at least six months, so social distancing measures to slow this virus down must be sustainable for at least that long to protect Australian lives, allow Australia to keep functioning and keep Australians in jobs," Morrison said.

"We need every Australian to do their bit to save the lives of other Australians."

There are more than 1354 cases of coronavirus confirmed in Australia so far with seven deaths.

Online, Australians noted their confusion at shutting down pubs and clubs but leaving shopping centres and supermarkets open, calling for the Prime Minister to "shut Australia down" to stop the pandemic taking hold.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Some states have already announced their own measures with the New South Wales, Victoria and ACT state governments moving to a more comprehensive shutdown that will see non-essential services closed in the next 48 hours.

COVID-19 UPDATE
22 Jan Click on a bar to show the map for that day 74,855,994 confirmed cases globally30,918,684 active cases42,277,369 recovered1,659,941 deathsHover over a circleto see more detail
74,855,994
cases
42,277,369
recovered
1,659,941
deaths

What will happen in New Zealand?

New Zealand's cases are primarily due to overseas travel, meaning the increase in cases seen here is still due to how many people are arriving with Covid-19, not how it is spreading in New Zealand.
010203040506070Days since fifty confirmed cases501002505001000250050001000025000500001000002500005000001000000Confirmed cases
Click on the labels on the chart above to compare and you will see more locations.
Last updated: Fri 18th December at 12:17 am
Go here to see all our Covid-19 data

Supermarkets, banks, pharmacies and convenience stores are expected to remain open.

The Government could also consider locking down "red zones" as it has in Wuhan and parts of Northern Italy. State leaders are due to provide more detail to their residents today.

The additional restrictions come on top of bans on social gatherings of more than 500 people outside and 100 people inside that are already in place.

People are being advised to avoid non-essential travel and keep 1.5 metres between themselves and others. Restrictions on entering aged care homes have also been introduced.

'RIP THE BANDAID OFF'

The Prime Minister's announcement over school closures prompted plenty of head-scratching as Morrison said children should go to school tomorrow.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"Leaders agreed that we cannot see children lose an entire year of their education as a result of school closures caused by Covid-19," he said.

Many online vented their confusion about closing facilities but leaving schools open which could still see the virus spread.

Schools are expected to remain open until the Easter break and all leaders have committed to re-open schools at the end of the break, Mr Morrison said.

"If parents choose to keep their children home from school, parents must be responsible for the conduct of the children and to ensure they adhere to the social distancing arrangements in place," he warned.

"Parents must be aware that while the majority of adults who contract Covid-19 have mild forms of the virus, the elderly or those with comorbidities can have more significant symptoms."

Despite the PM's warning, schools in ACT and Victoria will close on Tuesday.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
TO READ THE HERALD'S FULL CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE CLICK HERE
Save

    Share this article

Latest from World

World

'Trauma no doubt': Survivor's incredible tale after missing 12 days

12 Jul 05:11 AM
World

38 killed in deadliest day of anti-Government protests in Kenya

12 Jul 04:31 AM
World

How El Chapo's son co-operated for a reduced sentence

12 Jul 04:24 AM

From early mornings to easy living

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Recommended for you
All Blacks put France to sword as Dave Gallaher Trophy returns to New Zealand
All Blacks

All Blacks put France to sword as Dave Gallaher Trophy returns to New Zealand

12 Jul 09:07 AM
All Blacks reclaim Dave Gallaher Trophy with dominant win over France
All Blacks

All Blacks reclaim Dave Gallaher Trophy with dominant win over France

12 Jul 08:53 AM
Lotto: Powerball not struck, one First Division player $1 million richer
New Zealand

Lotto: Powerball not struck, one First Division player $1 million richer

12 Jul 08:04 AM
Wall of water floods Kaiteriteri holday park
New Zealand

Wall of water floods Kaiteriteri holday park

12 Jul 07:55 AM
Landslides, flooding, fallen trees: Nelson-Tasman residents urged to stay home
New Zealand

Landslides, flooding, fallen trees: Nelson-Tasman residents urged to stay home

12 Jul 06:34 AM

Latest from World

'Trauma no doubt': Survivor's incredible tale after missing 12 days

'Trauma no doubt': Survivor's incredible tale after missing 12 days

12 Jul 05:11 AM

Her van broke down 35km off-track in dense bushland near Karroun Hill.

38 killed in deadliest day of anti-Government protests in Kenya

38 killed in deadliest day of anti-Government protests in Kenya

12 Jul 04:31 AM
How El Chapo's son co-operated for a reduced sentence

How El Chapo's son co-operated for a reduced sentence

12 Jul 04:24 AM
Trump visits Texas as flood response faces scrutiny and criticism

Trump visits Texas as flood response faces scrutiny and criticism

11 Jul 11:03 PM
Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP
search by queryly Advanced Search