International arrivals into Australia will be temporarily cut by 50 per cent to “reduce pressure” on the hotel quarantine system as several states and territories battle COVID-19 outbreaks.

Under the reduced cap, only 3035 international arrivals will be allowed into Australia each week.

Commonwealth repatriation flights will increase, with arrivals sent to Howard Springs for quarantine.

Home quarantine for fully vaccinated returned travellers will be trialled on a small-scale in South Australia.

Mr Morrison also says state leaders have agreed lockdowns will only be used as a “last resort”.

National cabinet has agreed on a four-phase plan out of COVID-19.

It’s a “pathway from a pre-vaccination period, which is focused on the suppression of … community transmission cases, to one that sees us manage COVID-19 as an infectious disease like any other in our community”.

The percentage of the population who need to be vaccinated to move into the next phase of the plan is yet to be determined through modelling.

In a later phase, fully vaccinated returned travellers will have their quarantine period halved to seven days.

Image: Nine News