A cap on international arrivals will not be lifted despite the fact thousands of Australians stranded overseas are desperate to come home.
More than 18,000 Australians abroad want to return but exorbitant airfares and the government cap are preventing them.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said his primary focus was managing risks in hotel quarantine.
"That's why I am not lifting the caps," he told reporters in Canberra on Friday.
"I want to stress that 4000 Australians are still returning every week, every single week, and we've got tens of thousands of people who have been going through quarantine as well from overseas."
Prime Minister Scott Morrison arrives at a press conference at Parliament House in Canberra on 21 August. Source: AAP
Mr Morrison said the NSW government processed most incoming travellers, but were now focused on containing coronavirus outbreaks across the state.
State and territory leaders all agree that needs to be the immediate focus, he said.
The passenger limit will be reviewed every two weeks.
The prime minister hopes there will be more room to move once Victorian and NSW case numbers come down.
"But right now, on the balance or risk, on the balance of risk we need to keep those caps where they are."
He has asked senior ministers to develop a suite of measures to better support Australians stranded abroad.
"We acknowledge that some of them are in some difficult circumstances," Mr Morrison said.
Cabinet minister Mathias Cormann defended the government's cautious approach.
"We did urge Australians early on, quite strongly, to return if they wanted to return, and a lot of Australians did return at that time," Senator Cormann said.
"Right now we are in a situation where globally there are about 260,000 new cases of coronavirus every day."
Senator Cormann said there were practical, logistical limits to how many people could be managed through hotel quarantine.
"All of these things have been factored into maximising the possible in-flow of returning citizens and residents," he said.
"But of course these things are always under review.
"We will always try and do as much as we possibly, practically can to facilitate the return of those Australians who want to come back."
States requested limits on international arrivals so hotels could cope with the mandatory two-week quarantine program.
The current limits will remain in place until at least 24 October.
More than 27,000 Australians have registered overseas, with 18,800 of them wanting to come home.
Most are in India, the Philippines, South Africa and Vietnam.
More than 371,000 Australians have returned home since 13 March.
The federal government has organised 64 repatriation flights, with 13 of those from India.
The foreign affairs department has tried to help vulnerable Australians but has limited sway with airlines.
Nearly 400 people have been given emergency loans to help cover the cost of airfares.
People in Australia must stay at least 1.5 metres away from others. Check your state’s restrictions on gathering limits.
If you are experiencing cold or flu symptoms, stay home and arrange a test by calling your doctor or contact the Coronavirus Health Information Hotline on 1800 020 080.
