Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business) Share this | Hansard source

As the Prime Minister has said, this is a shared national mission. We need to work together to protect the elderly, protect the vulnerable and protect those with lung conditions. We can do this by making sure we're limiting the number of people who contract the virus and by taking important steps to delay the spread of the disease so our resources are available to treat those most in need.

Whilst social distancing and containment measures may seem extreme, it is crucial to follow them so that we can protect our neighbours, our friends, and our family. All of our advice is that this is likely to be for a six-month period. It is a challenge, but if we commit to following the medical advice, whilst continuing to do the small human things that we can—checking in on our neighbours, helping a friend with their shopping—we can succeed in minimising the impact.