Victoria is pushing for COVID-19 isolation rules to be further eased before winter to avoid a repeat of the chaotic scenes during this summer's Omicron wave.
Premier Daniel Andrews has been talking to NSW counterpart Dominic Perrottet and national cabinet about easing isolation protocols for winter.
He suggested the changes could be connected to a person's third vaccine dose, but would operate as an "honesty" policy rather than a mandate.
"This would be another way of trying to encourage people to go get a third dose," Mr Andrews told reporters on Tuesday.
"What we know as we head into winter is we've got to do everything we can to try and have a better outcome when it comes to furloughing."
With tens of thousands Australians forced into seven-day isolation amid rampant Omicron cases in late December, national cabinet agreed to change the close contact definition to those who spend more than four hours with a confirmed COVID-19 case in a household setting.
But a raft of essential workers in Victoria identified as close contacts were later allowed to continue working if they were asymptomatic and returned daily negative rapid antigen tests for five days.
Mr Andrews flagged Victoria and NSW could form a unity ticket to expand the exemption to more household contacts if a national approach isn't brokered.
"It's a big shift. That's something our health team are working on and I know that Dom and his people are as well," he said.
"I don't know if we'll get a national position on that. But if we can get a consistent position between Victoria and NSW, then we'll absolutely work towards that."
It comes as Victoria prepares to relax indoor mask-wearing rules and scrap its work-from-home recommendation, while also restoring all elective surgery.
Under the changes from 11.59pm on Friday, masks will no longer be required in offices and most indoor workplaces but remain mandatory on public transport, in taxis and rideshares, on planes and in airports and at hospitals and care facilities.
Hospitality, retail, court and corrective services workers must also continue to don one, as will primary school students in year 3 or above as well as teachers.
Asked about the ongoing mask requirement for primary schools, Mr Andrews cited lower vaccination rates among students in years 3 to 6.
"We've got to draw the line somewhere," he said.
"I look forward to the day when we don't need masks anywhere."
In addition, the state government confirmed remaining elective surgery caps will lift on Monday and announced a deadline extension for education workers to get their mandated third COVID-19 jab.
Victoria reported a further 14 COVID-related deaths and 6786 new cases on Tuesday, taking the state past one million total infections since the pandemic began.
VICTORIA'S LATEST COVID-19 FIGURES:
* Hospital cases: 345, down 16
* Intensive care cases: 48, down one
* Ventilated cases: eight, down three
* Positive PCR tests: 1744
* Positive rapid tests: 5042
* Active cases: 47,464, up 2186
* Victorians 18 and over with three vaccine doses: 55.9 per cent.
