AMA welcomes Albanese’s decision to extend Covid-19 pandemic leave payments after national cabinet meets

Prime minister Anthony Albanese says support will continue until the end of September amid winter Covid wave set to peak in August

• Katharine Murphy: Labor must reboot public expectations
• Covid tracker: cases, deaths, hospitalisations and vaccination
• Get our free news app, morning email briefing and daily news podcast

The Australian Medical Association has welcomed the federal government's backflip on emergency Covid payments, and says they should say in place as long as necessary.

They should never have been removed," president Omar Khorshid said.