Coronavirus Australia live update: four new Covid cases as Victoria lockdown begins; NSW Labor leader Jodi McKay stands down

Look, this is a significant issue, not just here in Victoria but right across the country. We are seeing, as the minister for health has explained and so have I previously, a significant spike in callouts, 10,000 additional callouts compared to the quarter before.

We are seeing a big impact in terms of our ambulance system, our emergency departments, and that’s reflected right across the country.

I was at a national cabinet meeting where almost every state and territory said this is a big problem … We are seeing a significant challenge on ambulances and in our emergency departments in Victoria and right across the nation …

It was agreed that health ministers will come together to agree on what to do, and in the meantime, in the budget we handed down last week, there was $759m of additional support. That will go to triage nurses. That will go to additional paramedics, to try to ease the pressure.

I acknowledge this is a challenge and it is a national challenge. We are doing what we can for the state budget, but additional $759m, and it will be discussed at a national level at national cabinet.