Victoria Covid update: Melbourne lockdown extended as state seeks federal payments for workers

Restrictions in regional Victoria to ease from midnight Thursday, as six more Covid cases recorded

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Melbourne will remain in lockdown for another week but restrictions in regional Victoria will ease from midnight on Thursday as the Victorian government warns case numbers will explode" without further tough measures.

The Victorian acting premier, James Merlino, announced the extension of the lockdown on Wednesday. It comes as the Victorian government put another proposal to the federal government to reinstate jobkeeper-style payments to Victorian workers for the duration of the lockdown - a proposal Merlino says the state will take to national cabinet if the federal treasurer, Victorian-based Josh Frydenberg, does not accede.