The Scott Morrison government has given an extraordinary ultimatum to rogue premiers telling them they 'must reopen' state borders by Christmas when vaccination rates hit 80 per cent.
Western Australia and Queensland have been reluctant to tow the line on national cabinet's four-phase reopening plan set out by the Doherty Institute, insisting they may renege on the agreement if case number in other states are continuing to soar.
But Treasurer Josh Frydenberg on Wednesday said if premier's don't open up 'Australians will suffer' and the economy will falter.
The Scott Morrison government has given an extraordinary ultimatum to rouge premiers telling them they must reopen state borders by Christmas when vaccination rates reach 80 per cent
Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel and Queensland Police process commuters crossing the Queensland-New South Wales state border at Coolangatta, QLD, Wednesday, August 25, 2021
'If we don't stick to the national plan, businesses will close. If we don't stick to the national plan, jobs will be lost,' he said.
'If we don't stick to the national plan, our debt burden will increase. If we don't stick to the national plan, the wellbeing of Australians will suffer.
'We need to vaccinate people but we need to open up safely in accordance with that plan at 70 to 80 per cent.'
The treasurer slammed Labor premiers Mark McGowan and Annastacia Palaszczuk saying they will have no excuses to shut off their states from the rest of the country once vaccination targets are reached insisting 'Australia must open up as one'.
He's has also threatened to cut off federal government Covid support payments if they refuse to follow the national plan.
Pharmacist Christine Kelly administers a dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine to Megan English at Taronga Zoo on September 01, 2021 in Sydney, Australia
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg on Wednesday said if premier's if they don't open up 'Australians will suffer' and the economy will falter
'There should be no expectation that the Federal economic support that we are providing right now can continue that way,' he told Sunrise on Monday.
'You could have the ridiculous situation where somebody in NSW could travel to Canada before they could go to Cairns or somebody in Victoria could travel to Singapore and Bali before they could go to Perth. That would be ridiculous.
'That is why it is so important that the agreed national plan is adhered to by the states and the territories.'
NSW leader Gladys Berejiklian on Wednesday also urged premiers in
