Here's what you need to know this morning.
Border with Victoria reopens
New South Wales and Victoria have reopened their border from midnight last night, allowing travel between Australia's two most populated states.
In a joint statement, NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet and Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews announced that for the first time in six months the whole of NSW and the ACT will be declared a green zone under Victoria's travel permit system.
Mr Perrottet said it would allow "family and friends to be reunited in the weeks leading up to Christmas after many months of being separated".
People entering Victoria are still required to obtain a permit from Service Victoria before they arrive to verify they are COVID-free and not a close contact.
Victorians have been allowed to enter NSW since November 1, but those over 16 must be fully vaccinated if they are travelling for recreation or a holiday.
Victorians are also not allowed to enter NSW if they have been to a place of high concern.
Queensland closes border to Moree residents
Queensland has announced changes to its border bubble with New South Wales, restricting travel by residents from Moree.
From midnight last night, people living in Moree will no longer be permitted to cross into Queensland apart from in exceptional circumstances, including for essential health care.
The announcement followed the discovery of 33 new COVID-19 cases in an outbreak in Moree linked to a recent funeral as well as three new cases confirmed in Queensland.
The Mayor of Moree has appealed to residents to act as though there were a lockdown.
"I am requesting that we all stay at home wherever possible, work from home if possible, shut our shops and get off the streets," Mayor Katrina Humphries said.
"We need to take the pressure off our medical teams and to try to take the sting out of this awful situation we are in."
Deputy Premier failed to declare income
New South Wales Deputy Premier Paul Toole has sought to rectify his income declarations after the state opposition accused him of breaching the ministerial code of conduct.
Mr Toole failed to declare rental income from three properties in his hometown of Bathurst on the register of disclosures, writing 'N/A' under other sources of income instead.
He said he had now rectified the matter but New South Wales Labor said it was a breach of his disclosure requirements.
The leader of the opposition in the upper house, Penny Sharpe, said it was not a harmless administrative mistake.
"It's not an error, it's very clear on the forms that any income over $500 in the reporting period an MP has to report.
"Mr Toole has never declared a cent the entire time he has been a minister and it's a wilful breach of the ministerial code of conduct and the code of conduct he signed up to as an MP.
Perrottet's first National Cabinet
NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet will attend his first National Cabinet meeting as Premier today.
National Cabinet last met in October and issued a statement recognising the contribution to saving lives and livelihoods made by former premier Gladys Berejiklian as a founding member.
Mr Perrottet is expected to discuss COVID-19 vaccinations for children aged five to 11 with his counterparts, as well as Australia's international border reopening.
NSW nears 90 per cent double doses
It's expected NSW will hit its 90 per cent double dose vaccination target today for those aged 16 and over.
It comes as the state is set to enjoy more freedoms from Monday, after Premier Dominic Perrottet brought forward the reopening schedule for the fully vaccinated.
Privileges for the unvaccinated, however, have been delayed.
By yesterday afternoon, 89.1 per cent of the eligible population had received two doses of a COVID-19 jab and 93.8 per cent at least one dose.
People aged over 85 have the highest rate of vaccine uptake and numbers are rising steadily among younger people.
Close to 80 per cent of children aged 12 to 15 have now received at least one dose.
Dr Marianne Gale from NSW Health welcomed the figures.
"It’s really terrific to see those vaccination numbers in that age group continue to rise and we want to see that continue," she said.
Chant stands by vaccine mandate
NSW Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant has told a Sydney court that vaccines continued to be an effective mitigant against COVID-19 transmission, as a Riverina paramedic challenged the mandate for health workers.
Dr Chant yesterday gave evidence about the health advice she's provided to inform public health orders made by Health Minister, Brad Hazzard.
Tumut paramedic John Larter is seeking to have the vaccination mandate in the public health orders declared invalid.
His lawyer told the court he was a conscientious objector on religious, moral and political grounds.
The court heard less than 3 per cent of health workers were unvaccinated as of last month.
Dr Chant said she still believed they all should be vaccinated, even as the state enters the endemic phase of the pandemic.
The hearing continues today.
Jabs for children on the horizon
NSW is considering introducing a COVID-19 vaccination program for school children aged between five and 11.
Health Minister Brad Hazzard said around half the state's new cases are in people under the age of 20.
He said around one in five of those case involve children aged five to 11.
The makers of the Pfizer vaccine are in the process of applying to the Therapeutic Goods Administration for approval to use the vaccine in that age group.
Health Deputy Secretary Susan Pearce said all of the state's local health districts were currently looking at a school vaccination program.
"Obviously we are very keen for all those children to be vaccinated as well," she said.
Charity's vaccine mandate
One of Australia's major charities dealing with homeless people and other vulnerable groups has made COVID-19 vaccinations compulsory for its staff.
Mission Australia Chief Executive James Toomey said all staff would have to be fully vaccinated or produce a medical exemption by the end of January next year.
He said while many employees are already vaccinated, having a mandate will protect both staff and the many vulnerable communities the charity serves.
"I think it is very important organisations whose staff move in and out of vulnerable communities, particularly in regional and remote areas, that their staff are fully protected so that those vulnerable communities are protected as well," he said.
