When you can again drink in a heaving club, dancing the night away, you'll know life in Australia has returned to normal.

As the nation's leaders begin charting a path out of the COVID-19 crisis — the curve having been sufficiently flattened — sources tell the ABC they're likely to wind back restrictions starting with the last ones imposed.

That means mass gatherings, like music festivals and sporting events, will be among the final remnants of the shutdown, along with nightclubs, clubs and pubs. And that looks to be many months away.

More likely will be the removal of the "two person rule" when National Cabinet meets in the middle of May to consider what restrictions can be eased.

In states that have been more successful than others, like Western Australia, there is talk that open and display homes may be soon allowed for real estate purposes.

It is a slowly, slowly approach. The feeling among the nation's leaders is that you've got to crawl before you can walk.

When cafes and restaurants reopen it will likely be in a socially-distanced manner, with one person per four square metres, before they are able to resume regular operations.

When restaurants reopen they will no doubt look very different. ( ABC News: Elle Conway )

Central to these decisions will be an assurance the health system can cope in the event of an outbreak — there are genuine fears that as Australia heads into winter, there could be a "second wave" of infections, like in Singapore.

No one can predict how this crisis will unfold, but looking to our north, Australia can glimpse how the contagion spreads when there are different levels of control measures.

The ABC spoke to senior politicians from across the political divide. They say voters are feeling "stressed and strained", and the restrictions are causing real psychological harm.

But one politician cautioned that "the greatest danger is giving people false hope" that their lives can return to normal sooner than the Chief Medical Officers advise.

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Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Tuesday the nation had reached a "turning point" in the fight against COVID-19, with National Cabinet agreeing to the resumption of elective surgeries — cancelled a month ago to free up beds for a potential surge in virus cases.

The surge didn't come, but he and state counterparts were "sticking to the plan", he said, outlining the criteria that must be met before the shutdown could be eased: keeping the rate of transmission below one for a whole month and increasing testing and contact tracing to clamp down on outbreaks quickly.

That means the next few weeks will be crucial.

Overwhelmingly, MPs are receiving positive feedback from voters about the way National Cabinet is handling this crisis.

Public health authorities have been shocked by Australia's success in flattening the curve and suppressing the virus. There is even talk that COVID-19 could be eliminated.

But Australia risks becoming a victim of its own success as people start to grow tired of the extraordinary controls.

According to one politician, the public mindset has started to shift.

"People are starting to resist, they're starting to get restless," the MP observed.

This resistance, he said, would start to take hold if police continued to fine people for taking their vehicle to a car wash or teaching their teenage child how to drive.

When the crisis began, Australians went into shock and fear took over. Some lobbied for an even tougher approach, a total lock-down.

Now they've adjusted, many are questioning how they can maintain the new normal for months when the number of COVID-19 cases continues to flatline.

The concern is people were now "reluctantly complying" with the restrictions.

But the bigger risk for the government, according to some, was when the economic damage becomes clearer and people want someone to blame.

"Churchill won World War Two and three months later he was voted out of office," one MP said.

Some states reopening their schools may pressure others that have chosen not to. ( ABC News: Evelyn Manfield )

Schools are likely to be the next flashpoint.

The tribulations of parents nationwide, the realisation among many families that home-schooling has its limits, is increasing pressure on state, federal and territory governments to encourage principals and schools to resume classroom teaching.

Now that New South Wales, South Australia and Western Australia have started to reopen schools for term two, parents in states like Victoria will be wondering why their children can't also resume.

A Liberal source said given that Australia has done a good job on health, there will be a "fair and reasonable push" for more of the economy to be reopened.

"I'm frustrated," he said.

"I want to see things move more quickly".

Queensland Liberal Andrew Laming has publicly called on his government to start talking about what to open up now, indicating small gatherings should be allowed.

"This conversation will get louder and louder," he told the ABC.

"Telling masseurs and physical trainers that they cannot work is not backed by evidence anywhere."

If MPs are feeling frustrated, the need to persuade the public to continue consenting to these strict restrictions is greater than ever.