Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has been able to ease some of his state's COVID-19 restrictions but his row with the federal Liberal MPs has deepened.
Mr Andrews has reiterated he wants no part of the travel bubble that started on Friday with New Zealand at this stage but revealed 55 Kiwis have apparently turned up in his state after landing in NSW.
"We have been able to find 23 ... we are still working to find the balance," he told reporters on Sunday.
"We have been given a list, 12 hours after they arrived. We are ringing them, one of them was in Byron Bay."
But acting Immigration Minister Alan Tudge insists Victorian chief medical officer Brett Sutton was at the meeting where authorisation was given for individuals who arrived in Sydney from New Zealand to then travel to Victoria.
"So the Victorian government was present when it was discussed, they were made aware that this was going to occur, they raised no objections in the meetings," Mr Tudge told reporters.
But Mr Andrews said this was not the case.
"Seriously, my advice to minister Tudge is, instead of stubbornly defending this, work with us and let's make sure Victoria is not part of a bubble we never agreed to be in," the premier said.
Mr Andrews has been able to ease some of his state's stiff COVID-19 restrictions after reporting just two new cases on Sunday after one on Saturday.
Among the state's relaxation of restrictions, from Monday Melburnians will be allowed to travel 25km from home, while there will be no limits on time spent away from their residence.
But the state capitals businesses must wait longer for eased restrictions, with Mr Andrews confirming changes to retail, hospitality and "personal care" services won't change until November.
"I know and understand that not everything that everybody wanted is in the announcements I have made today," he said.
"I just make this point, I have announced today what is safe."
Just hours before the announcement, cabinet minister Karen Andrews joined an ever growing queue of federal Liberal MPs putting pressure on the premier to ease his restrictions.
"We hope that Daniel Andrews shows the leadership that is needed in Victoria," she told Sky News' Sunday Agenda program.
"Daniels Andrews actually has shown himself to be a lockdown leader, we actually want that to change."
The day before Mr Andrews accused federal Health Minister Greg Hunt of "playing games" after he urged the Victorian leader to move to the next step in line with NSW.
Federal Labor front bencher Tanya Plibersek was unimpressed.
"I think it's actually really gross that federal Liberal MPs are trying to use this as an attack on Daniel Andrews," she told ABC television's Insiders.
"He hasn't done it for popularity, he's done it because he's considered it the right thing to do. The federal government ought to be looking at its own role in Victoria's difficulties including aged care.
