Prime Minister Scott Morrison says the national coronavirus cabinet’s attention has “now been turned to the road out” of the COVID-19 pandemic, but warned it will be weeks, if not months, before things return to normal.

Mr Morrison said Australia must achieve three things before baseline restrictions can be eased.

Australia must increase testing capacity, expand tracing ability and improve local response capabilities to contain outbreaks before any easing of restrictions will be considered.

“The baseline restrictions that we have in place at the moment, there are no plans to change those in the next four weeks,” Mr Morrison said.

States and territories which have introduced tougher social distancing restrictions than the national baseline may roll them back sooner. Premier Mark McGowan reinforced at a press conference following National Cabinet that WA will not be easing border restrictions.

“That’s been one of the most effective things we have done,” Mr McGowan said.

The Prime Minister warned Australia will not leave the health crisis in the same position it headed into it.

“It will be a different world on the other side of the virus, and there will be many challenges.

“We really do need to prepare ourselves as a country for some very sobering news on the economic front.”