State and territory leaders — with one notable exception — have agreed to develop a road map out of hard border regimes, with the view to seeing Australia reopened by Christmas.

What’s more, Prime Minister Scott Morrison has announced that as most of Australia moves towards worrying about coronavirus hotspots rather than hard borders, New Zealand could be included in the mix.

But that wouldn’t necessarily allow for Australians to fly across the ditch.

Here’s everything you need to know about borders both near and far.

Can I go home for Christmas?

If “home” is WA, then it’s looking unlikely.

The western state, which has one of the strictest and longest-standing hard borders in the country, has declined to sign up for easing its restrictions any time soon.

But the leaders from the rest of the country will work towards having domestic borders open by December, according to an agreement reached at National Cabinet today.

There are no guarantees in that, but Prime Minister Scott Morrison says the plan is to move towards a more refined hotspot model, rather than blanket border closures.

So what have they agreed to?

There’s not a heap of detail about what’s been agreed to today, but if you cast your mind back to May, you’ll remember we once had a nationally agreed three-step plan for easing restrictions.

Mr Morrison said that, broadly, a similar principle would be in place, with states reaching the end of that three-step process by December.

For the latest news on the COVID-19 pandemic read our coronavirus live blog.

But just don’t call it a bubble.

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