Disbelief was the reaction from Victoria's politicians when they saw the stricter border restrictions imposed by the NSW government.
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Northern Victorian MPs Tim Quilty and Tania Maxwell have spent the past two weeks calling for more exemptions for people in the wider Border community.
Mr Quilty said tightening the definition of a border community to within two kilometres of the Murray River would do nothing to prevent the spread of coronavirus, but would increase the damage done to already struggling towns and villages.
"Just as we were getting to grips with the damage the previous border restrictions were doing, we are now suffering even greater controls on our daily lives," he said.
"What we are seeing are even more decisions made by city bureaucrats and politicians who don't understand how regional and border communities operate.
"Under today's new restrictions, village residents in Tallangatta have now been cut off from accessing vital services in Albury, because they have been excluded from this silly border bubble thing."
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He said the NSW government showed a "contempt for border communities" by only opening permit application at 4pm on Tuesday, eight hours before the tougher restrictions came into force.
Ms Maxwell said the tighter restrictions were a "gross overreaction" that showed a lack of understanding of how border communities operate.
"These updated restrictions will cause havoc for border residents, many of them already under enormous stress," she said.
"There are basically no active cases in these areas and residents, who have been diligent in adhering to social distancing, are now being punished by a metro-centric policy."
The Victorian who did support tighter border restrictions was Benambra MP Bill Tilley, who said the rising coronavirus numbers in Melbourne left little choice.
"If you're the Premier of NSW, you have this extraordinary responsibility to protect the citizens of NSW," he said.
"I believe in my heart that they are working towards a solution."
He called on the Border community to stay strong.
"Let's try to work with the system and make sure that our community can remain resilient and maintain their aspirations. It's bloody hard, but let's say we are working strongly with the NSW government," Mr Tilley said.
