Landlords in Australia won't be able to evict their tenants if they have been affected by the coronavirus pandemic.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison revealed the move in a press conference, where he said a moratorium will be introduced to stop people who have fallen on tough times end up homeless.
Tenants who lose their job because they are infected with Covid-19 or are simply stood down or fired because their workplace has been ordered to close will be protected.
States and territories will have to come up with the specific legal language, however the Prime Minister said the moratorium would last for six months.
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Mr Morrison added that landlords and tenants need to come up with their own arrangement.
"There is a lot more work to be done here and my message to tenants, particularly commercial tenants, and commercial landlords, is a very straightforward one," Mr Morrison said.
"We need you to sit down, talk to each other and work this out about looking at the businesses which have been closed, businesses that may have had a significant reduction in their revenues and we need landlords and tenants to sit down and come up with arrangements that enable them to get through this crisis.
"The landlord has a tenant which is a business that can pay rent, and the business is a business that can re-emerge on the other side of this and be able to go on and employ people on the other side of these arrangements."
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Mr Morrison also revealed that social gatherings, both indoor and outdoor, would now be restricted to just two people.
Previously, people were allowed to gather if they were in a group of 10 or less. The rule has now been strengthened to prevent more people being infected with Covid-19.
The exception will be for people who you live with and your family members.
However, the new ruling means outdoor bootcamp sessions can now only be between a trainer and a client.
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It also means outside gyms and skate parks will be closed to ensure there's no gatherings of more than two people.
These measures will take effect from midday tomorrow (March 30).
Mr Morrison said you should only leave your home for the following things:
- Shopping for what you need - "food and other essential supplies that enable you to remain at home and to do that shopping as infrequently as possible"
- Seeking medical care or compassionate needs
- To exercise
- For work or education that you cannot do remotely at home.
Funerals will still be able to have 10 people and weddings are allowed to have five people.
Featured Image Credit: PATopics: News, Coronavirus, Australia