NSW has been warned to expect COVID case numbers to continue to rise for the next few weeks, while this week Victoria also waved the flag on COVID-zero.
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But the good news comes with the stockpile of more than 10 million Pfizer shots, a result of international swap deals including the UK trading four million doses nearing expiry to Australia.
In return the UK gets the same number from Australia's order in December when its residents begin taking booster shots.
The news has international travel back on the cards as early as mid-December, according to Qantas.
The airline is preparing for flights between Australia and New Zealand Fiji, Singapore, the US, Japan, UK and Canada.
From February next year, the airline hopes to add Hong Kong, and more destinations in Asia by April if the federal government reopens the border in accordance with the national plan.
In Victoria, Premier Daniel Andrews is hatching plans to give vaccinated Victorians more freedoms and "lock out" others refusing to get the jab from venues such as sports stadiums, cinemas and pubs.
Discussions are underway with industry to see how a "vaccinated economy" would work, Mr Andrews confirmed, with the required technology set to be trialled in regional Victoria after it exits lockdown.
Overseas, and New Zealand's anti-terrorism legislation is coming into sharp review following the shocking Auckland supermarket terrorist attack.
On Friday, a Sri Lankan national known to security agencies injured at least six people in a stabbing rampage.
Staying overseas and three Taliban sources say the Islamist militia has seized the Panjshir valley north of Kabul, the last part of Afghanistan holding out against it.
"By the grace of Allah Almighty, we are in control of the entire Afghanistan. The troublemakers have been defeated and Panjshir is now under our command," said one Taliban commander on Friday.
It was not immediately possible to confirm the reports.