Prime Minister Scott Morrison flags return of auctions, home inspections in phase one of coronavirus recovery

Auctions and open homes will be allowed in a reduced capacity as one of the first suggested steps in reopening the economy, the Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced on Friday.

But Victoria is yet to announce whether it will allow auctions and group inspections to return as the state government comes under pressure from the real estate lobby to do so.

In a series of charts released by the federal government, auctions and real estate inspections limited to 10 people would be allowed in step one, as long as every attendant’s contact details were recorded.

Phase two would allow 20 people with the same requirement of recording, and the same again for step three but for 100 people.

But Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews was guarded on Friday afternoon when asked about the state’s movement within the framework provided by Mr Morrison.

Mr Andrews described the charts as “menus” and said Victoria might take different elements from each step and apply them as it saw necessary.

He said the soonest Victorians could expect news about which step it would move to and which restrictions would be eased was Monday.

The Victorian government has come under pressure from the Real Estate Institute of Victoria to follow NSW and allow auctions and inspections again soon.

“Sales and rental opens for inspections and public auctions can safely operate with crowd restrictions, social distancing and other measures,” REIV president Leah Calnan said on Friday afternoon. “The easing of these restrictions would inspire confidence in our market.”

Queensland will allow auctions and inspections of 10 people from May 15, the ACT from Saturday, South Australia from Monday, and Western Australia has announced it will do the same soon.

The national real estate industry welcomed the changes, and wasn’t concerned about the 10-person limit.

“You know what? Doesn’t bother us at all,” REIA president Adrian Kelly said. “As an industry, we’ve been thankful and fortunate that we’ve been able to continue to trade.”

Mr Kelly cautioned states on moving too quickly with easing restrictions. He said the industry was surviving with the restrictions as is and could hold out a bit longer.

“We are in no hurry to go back to the good old days,” he said. “At the moment we still have reasonable consumer sentiment and the last thing we need is a virus outbreak.

“It’s perfectly logical the individual states will take their time in their own way, because the virus is still around and doing different things in different parts of Australia.”