Leaders present united front at final National Cabinet for the year

Australia is coming back from COVID-19, Prime Minister Scott Morrison has said following his first in-person National Cabinet since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic.

"Australia is working together, we are working together and Australia is coming back from COVID-19," Mr Morrison said.

The meeting was attended in person by all state and territory leaders save for WA Premier Mark McGowan, who attended remotely.

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The prime minister addressed Mr McGowan's absence, telling reporters he didn't take it personally.

"We were heartbroken that Mark couldn't join us here - almost as much as him," Mr Morrison quipped.

"It's okay, WA gets to keep the GST.

"We understand every state and territory has its rules and those rules need to be held up to and so we understand, but obviously miss, our colleague and look forward to him joining us next year."

Returning Australians remains priority for overseas travel

The first priority for allowing people into the country is Australians, Mr Morrison said.

He said he was looking to raise the number of people allowed into Australia, provided there is the capacity.

"The first priority is the quarantine capacity for returning Australians and residents and that will continue to be our focus," Mr Morrison said.

A total of 45,954 Australians have returned from overseas and passed through hotel quarantine under emergency procedures implemented by the Federal Government in mid-September.

This figure far exceeds the number who initially registered their intention to return, but further registrations since then mean a further 38,655 are still awaiting flights.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews thanked NSW for taking in more people into hotel quarantine during his state's second wave.

"The prime minister and I had a conversation last night about us lifting our numbers and we're very confident we will be able to do that," Mr Andrews said.

"But that has got to be done safely."

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