State, territory and local government leaders will be called on to do their bit to stimulate the economy in response to the coronavirus when they meet with Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Friday.
The usual agenda of the Council of Australian Governments meeting has been thrown out with the virus spreading to all states and territories and the Commonwealth unveiling a $17.6 billion plan to deal with its impact.
Mr Morrison will urge premiers and chief ministers at the western gathering to look at measures to boost jobs and growth and maintain industries worst-hit by the coronavirus outbreak such as tourism and education.
"What we're doing here ... is us doing the heavy lifting when it comes to addressing the real tough months ahead," he said on Thursday.
"But I would expect state governments would be looking at what they can do to complement that."
South Australia received prime ministerial praise after laying out its own $350 million infrastructure upgrade.
The ACT has also looked at its program but so far is pushing ahead with existing plans, while asking the federal government to help make shovel-ready projects happen faster.
Queensland has offered payroll tax deferrals to businesses affected by the coronavirus - although Mr Morrison noted they'd still have to pay the money eventually.
The leaders will look at the detail of the federal government's planned $1 billion fund to promote tourism and help businesses in regions drastically affected by the drop-off in visitors.
Mr Morrison envisages that will work like the bushfire relief programs, which involve grants, loans and tourism ad campaigns.
He cited the case of Geraldton in Western Australia, where crayfish exports to restaurants in China have all but ceased.
The previous COAG meeting, in Cairns in August, set up a special skills council supposed to report to leaders at that gathering on a roadmap to reforming vocational education.
That meeting also pushed off a deal on permanently funding free preschool for Australia's four-year-olds until now.
