Coronavirus Australia: Labor calls for mass events to be cancelled and schools closed

Opposition argues the 'public health emergency' requires urgent, even 'draconian', social distancing measures

Australia should immediately close schools and cancel mass events, the federal opposition has said, arguing the "public health emergency" requires urgent, even "draconion" action.

Shadow cabinet minister Bill Shorten said Australia needed to implement social distancing "not in weeks and months but in days".