* Victoria recorded a second consecutive day of no new coronavirus cases or deaths on Tuesday - the first time since March 5 and 6.

* Two adults from one household will be able to visit another home in metropolitan Melbourne accompanied by any dependents.

* House visits will be restricted to within the 25km travel limit and to one social gathering per day.

* The change will come into effect from 11.59pm on Tuesday along with other eased restrictions, including the reopening of Melbourne's retail stores, cafes, restaurants and pubs.

* A woman who allegedly kicked a police horse at last Friday's anti-lockdown protest in Melbourne has been charged with animal cruelty.

* The pressure cooker of the long and painful Victorian coronavirus lockdown exploded in federal parliament, as Labor moved a bipartisan motion to commend the state's people for their sacrifices.

* Prime Minister Scott Morrison was pleased with Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews' decision to ease rules, but said there was evidence the situation hadn't been handled as it should, including quarantine failures and problems with contact tracing.

* Elderly Australians may not be able to get a coronavirus vaccine if the medicine hasn't been trialled on such an age group, Department of Health boss Brendan Murphy told Senate estimates.

* Aged Care Minister Richard Colbeck doesn't feel personally responsible for the 683 residents who have died in nursing homes from coronavirus.

* NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian is cautious about opening the border with Victoria too quickly, as the state recorded two new locally acquired cases and another 10 in hotel quarantine.

* Tasmania intends to reopen to NSW on November 6, removing the need for those from the mainland state to quarantine.

* Queensland could be days away from announcing the opening of its NSW border, as the sunshine state again reported a day without any new cases.

* South Australia will look for an extended period of no mystery cases in Victoria before relaxing border restrictions. SA had no new cases on Tuesday.

* Premier Mark McGowan brushed aside the findings of a new poll showing most West Australians want him to set a date for reopening state borders. Two children in WA hotel quarantine tested positive after returning from overseas with their families.

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KEY DATES

* October 26 - Tasmania's state of emergency due to expire and people from low-risk states and New Zealand will be free to enter.

* October 27 - From 11:59pm, all retail stores, beauty and personal care services, cafes, restaurants and pubs can reopen in Melbourne with patron limits. People can have two people from one household plus dependents visit their home once a day.

* November 2 - Regional Victorian residents allowed to travel to the Northern Territory if case numbers remain low.

* November 6 - Victoria's hotel quarantine inquiry report due. Tasmania plans to open border to NSW residents without quarantine.

* November 8 - From 11:59pm, the 25km travel rule scrapped and the Metropolitan Melbourne-regional Victoria border will end, reuniting the state. Gyms and fitness studios can reopen subject to density quotas, while patron limits for hospitality will increase.

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AUSTRALIAN CORONAVIRUS NUMBERS

* There was 14 new cases in Australia, including 12 in NSW and two in WA.

* The national death toll is 905: Victoria 817, NSW 55, Tasmania 13, WA 9, Queensland 6, SA 4, ACT 3. (Two Queensland residents who died in NSW have been included in the official tolls of both states.)

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GLOBAL CORONAVIRUS NUMBERS

* Cases: at least 43,490,000

* Deaths: at least 1,159,000

* Recovered: at least 29,199,000

Data current as of 1715 AEDT October 27, taking in federal and state/territory government updates, Worldometer and Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Centre.

Australian Associated Press