The head of Australia’s peak body for healthcare workers is calling on the federal government to scrap the mandatory COVID-19 isolation period completely.

National cabinet will meet on Wednesday and NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet is expected to push Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to reduce the seven-day period to five days.

But Health Services Union secretary Gerard Hayes says it’s time for Australians to take personal responsibility for their health and treat COVID like any other infectious disease.

He argues people will stop complying with testing and mandatory isolation periods, particularly when federal government support payments cease at the end of September.

“This is trying to get ahead of that curve, so you can actually live with COVID going forward as opposed to continue responding and having a community that is not necessarily listening,” he told ABC radio on Tuesday.

“There’ll be people out there now not testing and we want to avoid that, we want a transparent, inclusive approach so people don’t have to make hard choices.”

Mr Hayes said Australians had learned the importance of staying home when sick during the pandemic and that behaviour should be encouraged going forward.

“Personal responsibility is paramount and I think this is our opportunity to start to pivot to that,” he said. 

The prime minister said his state and territory counterparts would seek advice from the chief medical officer on reducing isolation requirements when national cabinet meets. 

Mr Perrottet’s views on the matter were well known but national consensus was needed, Mr Albanese said. 

“Instead of the six states and two territories going different ways we’re trying to get everyone on the same page so that there’s consistency in the regulations and the rules,” he told Sydney radio station 2SM on Tuesday.