Covid news live update: test positivity rates soar as nation records more than 18,000 cases; AMA says it asked government for testing plan ahead of reopening

Australia records 18,243 Covid cases as NSW infections top 11,000; AMA says it asked government for testing plan when Australia opened up; labs running at capacity'; Scott Morrison calls rapid antigen tests a precious commodity' ahead of national cabinet meeting; NSW authorities tell holidaymakers to avoid' testing. Follow all the latest updates

• Perrottet stands by decision to ease restrictions as NSW records 11,201 Covid cases and Omicron surges around Australia
• Major Australian musicals cancel shows as more than 90 performers contract Covid
• Run on rapid antigen tests leaves Australian governments scrambling for supplies
• New Zealand reports first community exposure to Omicron
• Vaccine rollout tracker; cases and data tracker
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And, Perrottet has tweeted his reaction (to Queensland changing its border rules, not the number of cases today):

So, sticking to NSW for now, last night premier Dominic Perrottet was on 2GB, and was backing his government's approach to restrictions, after easing most of them on 15 December.

We look at the evidence in front of us, we make the assessment, we tailor our settings to where they are.

We've always said as we open up case numbers will increase, these are the difficulties we are going through in this next phase.

The reality is as case numbers are increasing there are obviously going to be challenges along the way.

One of the key issues for us which we are trying to resolve and I have had many constructive discussions with my counterparts, premiers from other states, is that there is no reason why someone should be getting a tourism test if they don't have any symptoms and are travelling interstate.