Queensland senator blasts Victorian leaders for 'failing at lockdown' after route out plan released

Queensland Senator Matt Canavan has accused Victorian leaders of "failing at lockdown" after unveiling  the plan for relaxing restrictions yesterday.

"It is the longest lockdown in the world, and it is going to consign Victorians to untold economic devastation," Mr Canavan told Today.

He said the Victorian government should "trust" its contact tracing staff, adding the system of tracking cases has been successful in NSW.

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He said people in the state "don't deserve this" and called for more distinction between restrictions in regional areas with no cases and other areas.

Melbourne will remain under stage four lockdown for at least a further two weeks, Premier Daniel Andrews announced yesterday.

But Mr Andrews also presented two separate 'four-step' roadmaps to recovery to COVID-normal', one for metropolitan Melbourne and one for regional Victoria.

The first step, which will start at 11.59pm next Sunday night, will see the curfew eased slightly to 9pm to 5am, exercise doubled to two hours a day, 'bubbles' for single people, and gatherings of two people, or a household allowed.

Playgrounds will also reopen.

But the second step of easing restrictions, inducing schools, nurseries and some workplaces reopening, hinges on whether average daily cases being just 30-50 in metro Melbourne over the previous 14 days.

Hospitality firms won't be allowed to open until October 26, and only if the daily average is less than five new cases state-wide, and less than five cases from unknown sources over the previous 14 days.