Australians have been promised they will start to regain freedoms when the nation is 101 per cent vaccinated, under a deal struck in National Cabinet.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said borders would remain closed – except to politicians and celebrities – until an impossibly high number of people had received the jab.

He said state premiers had agreed that lockdowns would end when 101 per cent of Australians had been vaccinated, or when Afghan astronauts colonised Mars – whichever came first.

“These are targets for all Australians to achieve,” he said.

Mr Morrison said National Cabinet had resisted the urge to put timelines on...