Prime Minister Scott Morrison says it is highly unlikely that Australia will achieve zero coronavirus cases, but neither can it live with lockdowns forever.
NSW suffered another record day of new infections, announcing 830 cases and just pipping the previous day. There were also three new deaths - a woman in her 80s and two men in their 60s and 70s.
Regional NSW will remain in lockdown until 28 August and Greater Sydney until at least 30 September.
But Mr Morrison insists people can't live with lockdowns indefinitely.
"At some point you need to make that gear change and that is done at 70 per cent (vaccinations) because that's where we are advised from the medical science that you can make that gear change," he told ABC's Insiders program on Sunday.