Australia is planning a business-as-usual week of Parliament in May in an indication that the country is weathering the coronavirus pandemic better than the government had feared.
Parliament's schedule was scrapped a week into March and a scaled-down Parliament has sat on only two days since to pass billions of dollars in emergency economic stimulus measures. After the Parliament sat last week, lawmakers were not expected to convene in the national capital Canberra again before August.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Thursday he will discuss with the opposition and state leaders arranging for lawmakers to return to Canberra for a trial week in May to conduct the normal business of Parliament. The aim of the trial is for Parliament to sit on a regular basis.
Morrison told reporters: That is an indicator of us trying to get back at least to some form of new normal. Obstacles include a shortage of domestic flights and most states demanding interstate travelers quarantine in hotels for two weeks.
Australia has recorded 6,457 cases of COVID-19, mostly infected overseas, but new detections have recently slowed to fewer than 50 a day. The death toll stands at 63 on Thursday with 42 patients in intensive care.
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