Australia has recorded nine new deaths due to COVID-19, as Queensland authorities reveal 12,000 people are on a waiting list to enter the state.
The nine fatalities all occurred in Victoria and were reported on Wednesday alongside 996 new coronavirus infections in the state.
Wednesday's case numbers are almost 200 more than Tuesday's tally, and represent the fourth straight day below 1000.
There are 394 virus patients in hospital, 37 fewer than the previous day, with 58 actively infected with COVID-19, 65 have been cleared, and 35 on ventilators.
Victoria's seven-day hospitalisation average has fallen by 16 to 402.
Health officials say 72,010 test results were processed on Tuesday and 6692 people were vaccinated at state-run hubs.
Victoria is 87 per cent double-vaccinated in those aged over 12.
Premier Daniel Andrews said the state would get to 90 per cent full vaccination coverage "sooner than we thought".
"The chief health officer may not have signed the last set of orders yet, but we're all working very closely together - the minister, myself, the public health team - about what 90 per cent looks like," he told reporters on Wednesday.
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews. Source: AAP
"We want as few rules as possible."
Once the 90 per cent mark is reached, initially predicted on 24 November, vaccinated Victorians are promised a return to normality, with patron caps removed and masks only required on public transport and in high-risk settings.
Health Minister Martin Foley has indicated there may also be changes to isolation requirements.
"When we hit 90 per cent we will open up to a whole new level," he told reporters.
"That will go to all sorts of things, venues, people coming into your home and all sorts of issues around isolation."
Victorian Health Minister Martin Foley. Source: AAP
Mr Andrews previously said a date for when the new restrictions took effect would be announced this week.
Queensland authorities admit to long home quarantine waiting list
Queensland on Wednesday recorded no new local COVID-19 cases, with one new case in hotel quarantine after 10,871 tests.
It came as authorities admitted that many of the 12,000 Queensland residents stranded interstate "are just waiting" for Queensland to scrap COVID-19 quarantine, with 1319 people successfully applying to isolate at home, the deputy police commissioner says.
Queensland's new home quarantine program allows fully vaccinated domestic travellers who test negative for the coronavirus to quarantine at home if they live within two hours' drive from an airport and have direct, external, "fresh air" access to their dwelling.
Deputy Police Commissioner Steve Gollschewski says 141 people have arrived since the application system went online at 5pm on Monday.
He says 1,319 border passes for home quarantine have been issued, with more than 12,000 people on the waiting list to enter Queensland.
The state plans to scrap quarantine for fully vaccinated domestic arrivals once 80 per cent of eligible Queenslanders are vaccinated, or December 17 at the latest.
"We understand that a lot of people just waiting to see what happens when we get 80 per cent, probably preferring to come in then," Mr Gollschewski told ABC radio on Wednesday.
Figures show 82.75 per cent of Queenslanders have had one dose of a vaccine and 71.07 per cent are fully vaccinated.
The home quarantine requirements has faced criticism, particularly the need for direct, external, "fresh air" access, which makes most apartment dwellers ineligible.
Queenslanders stranded interstate with their cars on the NSW border are also upset they aren't allowed to drive to home quarantine, even if they live within two hours' drive of the border.
The deputy commissioner said the option of home quarantine for drivers was "considered really carefully", but the government decided it wasn't safe.
"That doesn't mean that that makes it easier for people. We understand completely," he said.
Mr Gollschewski also revealed there was no longer any human oversight of home quarantine applications, with passes issued automatically as long as people gave correct answers.
"So this is one of those security systems that has logic built into it," Mr Gollschewski said.
"They answer the questions correctly, they provide the evidence that has to be uploaded, and it will issue the pass immediately."
Dominic Perrottet postpones NSW pandemic powers decision
New South Wales has recorded 231 new cases of COVID-19 and no deaths, as the government mulls which emergency pandemic powers should be extended.
The new cases were recorded from 88,104 tests in the 24 hours to 8pm on Tuesday.
Some 207 people remain in hospital, with 33 in intensive care.
Meanwhile, Premier Dominic Perrottet has postponed a decision on extending the state's emergency pandemic powers until next year.
A set of tweaks made to the state's Public Health Act for the COVID-19 pandemic are set to expire in March 2022.
They make it easier for health officials to order someone who's a risk to public health into quarantine, without the need for a quick tribunal order.
NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet speaks to the media at a press conference in Sydney, Tuesday, November 2, 2021. (AAP Image/Mick Tsikas) NO ARCHIVING Source: AAP
They also give police the power to arrest or fine people who breach public health laws or orders, or to order them to hand over their name and address.
With cabinet's approval, Health Minister Brad Hazzard this week sought to extend those provisions for an extra year.
But the changes are now on ice after concerns were raised in the party room.
The premier now says he will consider the issue over the Christmas break.
He told reporters he would only extend the health provisions that he deems "absolutely necessary".
"It's obviously an evolving situation with the government. We need to make sure that we don't have a heavy-handed government ... there will no doubt be provisions that need to be extended.
"I like anyone wants to make sure that we have government out of the way, but at the same time we've got to keep the protection and the healthcare of people right across our state."
Mr Perrottet warned case numbers and hospitalisations will increase, pointing to the European experience as that continent approaches winter.
Police Minister David Elliott said he did not want to see police continue to have the power to fine people for COVID-19 breaches.
"The police don't like these powers because these powers mean that we're in a pandemic," he said.
Mr Hazzard on Tuesday night rejected suggestions he was seeking to drastically expand the powers given to the health minister.
"Far from granting additional powers, the powers are exactly the same as exist now and are simply tweaks on timing for two provisions in the massive Public Health Act," he said in a statement.
The health minister's powers to issue public health orders, such as the orders for people to wear masks and gathering restrictions, predates the COVID-19 pandemic and would not be affected by Mr Hazzard's proposed changes.
NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard. Source: AAP
The state is creeping closer to its target of 95 per cent double-dose vaccination, with 94.2 per cent of people over 16 having had at least one jab.
More than 91 per cent of adults are fully vaccinated.
