Australia politics live: emergency warning issued for Perth blaze as city and WA's south-west enter Covid lockdown

Authorities warn of imminent threat to lives and homes in fire; Scott Morrison gives first major speech of 2021; much of Western Australia shut down. Follow the latest updates, live

• Media companies plead guilty to breaching Pell suppression order
• PM lays out vaccine rollout plan
• Much of WA goes into five-day lockdown after hotel guard tests positive
• Perth and regional WA Covid hotspot locations; NSW Covid hotspots
• Follow our global coronavirus live blog

8.02am GMT

And, breathe. That's all for today, so here is a summary of everything that's gone down today:

7.41am GMT

Queensland's checkpoints along the NSW border have been taken down in record time, as the state once again opens its borders.

It took less than 24 hours for the checkpoints to be taken down, with Queensland open to all of NSW from early this morning, after a six-week lockout.

There is a sense of relief again, certainly a sense of happiness about it. No doubt there will be many people from the greater Sydney area who can be reunited with families.

A lot of people would not have been able to spend Christmas and New Year together, so hopefully they can make up for some of that now.