Coronavirus Australia latest: at a glance

Good evening, here are the latest developments on the coronavirus pandemic in Australia. This is Elias Visontay and it’s Thursday 4 June.

Morrison government unveils $25,000 homebuilder stimulus 

The Australian government will fund grants worth $25,000 for eligible singles and couples planning to build or renovate homes between June and the end of December, with the uncapped program estimated to cost taxpayers $688m.

Related: Who is eligible for homebuilder grants, and how much will they have to spend?

To be eligible for the grants, singles need to earn $125,000 a year or less based on a 2018-19 tax return or later, and couples need to earn under $200,000. Building contracts need to be executed between 4 June and 31 December 2020.

While announcing the scheme in Googong, located in the electorate of Eden-Monaro that is preparing for a byelection, Scott Morrison was interrupted by a homeowner shouting at media to get off his lawn.

Universities to close campuses and shed thousands of jobs

Several regional Australian universities are planning to shut campuses while others are set to announce hundreds of job losses in coming weeks to deal with the sharp falls in revenue due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Without access to jobkeeper – the sector has been specifically excluded by the Morrison government – universities are frantically working on strategies to deal with up to $16bn in revenue shortfalls from the loss of international student fees. Most expect the situation will continue to get worse into 2021.

Experts say the number of job losses over the 38 universities could reach into the tens of thousands and would affect administrative staff to professors.

New Zealand says it will eliminate coronavirus by 15 June

New Zealand finally has a date for when it will achieve its lofty goal of elimination of Covid-19: 15 June. New Zealand has followed an elimination policy path since the arrival of the virus, eschewing lighter approaches by countries including Australia.

On Thursday, health officials announced they had found no new cases of the virus for the 13th straight day, from thousands of tests. Just one person in New Zealand has Covid-19, an Aucklander currently isolating who is due to be asymptomatic this week, should the virus follow a normal course.

The news comes as Canberra airport opened a register of interest for direct flights to Wellington as a trial of the New Zealand travel bubble, to leave as early as 1 July.

Qantas and Jetstar to scale up flights in June and July

Qantas has announced the airline and its low-cost carrier Jetstar will scale up flights on domestic and regional routes in June and July.

Capacity will increase to 15% of pre-coronavirus levels, or more than 300 return flights a week by the end of June, the airline says. It could return to 40% of its pre-pandemic capacity by the end of July providing state borders reopen.

Australia’s flag carrier is currently operating domestic capacity at just 5% of pre-coronavirus levels following government restrictions on travel and has stood down two-thirds of its 30,000-member workforce until the end of June.

Unions, bosses eye future amid recession

No community-derived Covid-19 cases in New South Wales have been uncovered for an eighth straight day as authorities plead for caution over the June long weekend. In Victoria, authorities are concerned a second wave of the pandemic could sweep the state with protesters set to ignore Covid-19 rules and new cases still being identified. Eight new cases were announced on Thursday.

In Western Australia, tourist hotspots in the state’s north are ready to welcome back visitors after authorities agreed to lift coronavirus-related biosecurity restrictions.

Queensland recorded three new Covid-19 cases on Thursday, while South Australia recorded no new cases.

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Covid commission chief distances himself from leaked report on gas expansion

The former Fortescue Metals chief running Scott Morrison’s Covid-19 coordination commission, Nev Power, has distanced himself from a controversial leaked report recommending Australian taxpayers underwrite a massive expansion of the domestic gas industry.

Appearing on Thursday before a Senate committee, Power said the report, revealed by Guardian Australia late last month, should not be considered the view of the National Covid-19 Coordination Commission. He intimated the report was a draft from the manufacturing taskforce that had been superseded by later advice.

What you need to know: get the most important information from some of our key explainers

• Coronavirus Australia stats: Covid-19 active and new cases, numbers, map and data update

• Australia’s coronavirus lockdown rules and restrictions explained: how far can I travel, and can I have people over?

• Coronavirus Australia maps and cases: live numbers and statistics

• Free childcare: what do the Australian government’s coronavirus changes mean for my family?

• Am I eligible for the jobkeeper payment? Here’s everything you need to know to register

• Groceries, telehealth and pharmaceuticals: how older Australians can get help at home

• Have I already had coronavirus? How would I know and what should I do?

• Dangerous cures and viral hoaxes: common coronavirus myths busted

• What happens to people’s lungs when they get coronavirus?

• Coronavirus vaccine: when will it be ready?

• How long does coronavirus live on different surfaces?

• Who is most at risk of contracting coronavirus?

• How ventilators work and why they are so important in saving people with coronavirus

• Coronavirus key questions: everything you need to know

Want more? Read the latest news from across the Guardian’s global network, and follow the global coronavirus live blog here.