Australia's federal government is looking to convince states and territories to follow its national Covid-19 reopening plan as a steady rise in infections in Sydney and Melbourne from the Delta variant stoke concerns in virus-free states, reports Reuters.

The national cabinet — a group of federal and state leaders — will meet later today (Friday) as Queensland and Western Australia flag they may delay plans to open their borders after vaccination rates reach 70-80 per cent from 36pc currently, targets agreed on July 31 for the relaxation of some restrictions.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk on Thursday warned reopening borders could trigger a surge in infections in her state, which has 18 active cases, and proposed tighter controls “until I can get every child vaccinated”.

Finance Minister Simon Birmingham told Nine News on that Palaszczuk was “focusing on the fear side rather than on the factual, calm analysis that needs to be undertaken on educating the population”.

Sydney and Melbourne, Australia's largest cities, and the capital, Canberra, are in the grip of a third wave of infections that has forced more than half the country's 25 million people into lockdowns.