Victoria has recorded its tenth consecutive triple-digit daily increase in coronavirus cases, with new cases rising by 238 on Wednesday; Prime Minister Scott Morrison has ruled out a national lockdown, saying the economic implications would be catastrophic; and cases continue to rise in NSW.

New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian has confirmed the state will reintroduce some restrictions for pubs and clubs after a recent spike in COVID cases; hundreds of letters surrounding the dismissal of Gough Whitlam have released to the public after a lengthy and costly court battle; and Victoria has hit its ninth day of triple-digit COVID-19 cases, with 270 recorded on Tuesday.

Victoria has recorded more than a week in triple-digit coronavirus cases, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews confirming 177 new cases on Monday, bringing the state’s total to 3967; the body of a five-month-old girl was found in her bassinette following a blaze at the home in Bargo on Sunday night; and a second $750 coronavirus stimulus payment will hit the bank accounts of eligible Australians from this week.

A teenager has died after being mauled by a shark at Wooli Beach, north of Coffs Harbour; Victoria has recorded 216 new COVID-19 cases, taking the number of active cases in the state to 1,249; and three new cases of coronavirus in New South Wales have been linked to a man who visited a pub in Sydney.

Long lines have formed on the Pacific Motorway into Queensland and the border reopens for the first time in nearly four months; residents have been able to leave eight Melbourne residential towers after five days in lockdown, while a ninth tower remains in hard lockdown as the number of cases soars; the search continues for actress Naya Rivera, feared drowned at a Californian lake where her son was found safe in a boat.

Metropolitan Melbourne and Mitchell Shire are preparing for stage three lockdowns from 11.59pm on Wednesday; long queues have formed at the NSW-VIC border as Albury-Wodonga residents face the first day of the border closure; and Hollywood star Johnny Depp has denied accusations by his former wife Amber Heard that he had abused her in his defamtion battle against British tabloid The Sun.

Residents who live on the NSW-Victoria border are preparing for the closure that comes into effect from early Wednesday morning; the number of active cases within Melbourne residential towers remains too high for authorities to end the lockdown; calls to raise the GST to help cover coronavirus fallout.

The New South Wales and Victoria border will be closed from 12.01am on Wednesday - but an emergency public health order means Melburnians will be barred from crossing from midnight on Monday; the Australian Medical Association has called on other states to hold off easing further restrictions in light of the Melbourne outbreak; Victorian outbreak likely to stall nation's economic recovery.

On the first day dozens of suburbs in Melbourne have been given Stay at Home orders, there have been 77 cases recorded across the state; two people have been killed after a fire broke out on a yacht in North Geelong; and Guy Sebastian's former manager has been arrested, accused of defrauding the singer out of $1.15 million.

The Victorian Government may have no choice but to reinstate lockdown in coronavirus hotspots as it struggles to contain the outbreak; Australia announces $1.3b plan to boost cybersecurity; a fatal truck crash in Brisbane has caused peak-hour traffic chaos.