Nationals John Barilaro and Bridget McKenzie at odds over new tighter NSW-Victorian border lockdown

But NSW Nationals leader and NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro hit out on Tuesday when an ABC journalist suggested his government "had failed to understand the complexities" facing residents caught in the newly-created border zone.

He told reporter Rosie King she must be from the ABC "because you've used the word failed".

"I don't know if the ABC wants the death toll, people dying from this pandemic, on their shoulders but to be so negative in dealing with something that is so difficult, working on the border and border communities (is wrong)," Mr Barilaro said in Wagga on Tuesday.

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"We've put in place a border to protect this state, so that we don't end up in lockdown with an economic disaster that will see in my mind many people committing suicide from the loss of business and loss of jobs and the loss of their homes versus the number of deaths from COVID.

"That is a blunt message for me to say but gees I tell you what if the media want to turn this into a political game of failure against the government, well I tell you what I've lost respect for the ABC."

Mr Barilaro then conceded border communities would feel hardship and "we're going to have to work with those communities (and) give support, financial support for businesses and we'll work through those unique issues from education, essential services, employment, jobs and industry.....we're prepared to be flexible".

Wodonga-based Senator McKenzie said it was apparent there was a failure to grasp the impact of the new border restrictions.

"I understand the need for state premiers to treat this virus seriously and they are, but they should not underestimate the unintended consequences on (border) people," Senator McKenzie said.

"I don't think this crisis, the regional impacts of the border closure and the impact on the economy are being well understood in Melbourne in Spring Street or in NSW in Macquarie Street.

"I'm hearing stories of displaced workers and small business owners deciding to shut up shop for good."

Senator McKenzie wants Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews to introduce a permit system for those who want to travel beyond the Melbourne lockdown.

She has spoken to mayors from Mildura to East Gippsland and each had told her of Melburnians still travelling to their areas with not every car leaving the capital being checked.

Senator McKenzie will write to NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian to highlight the impact of her new measures and the confusion and lack of clarity around them.

The former Nationals deputy leader also expects the boundary closure to be raised at Friday's national Cabinet meeting following feedback given to the office of Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

Ms Berejiklian is yet to respond to a series of questions put to her office by The Border Mail on Tuesday morning.

Her Albury MP Justin Clancy said the Premier was "conscious" of problems but "she's making decisions on health advice given to her and the health advice is to do everything possible to reduce seeding and that means having a tight border".

Member for Murray Helen Dalton said she had not talked to Ms Berejiklian since the border shutdown was announced but had "spoken to her chief of staff who hasn't got a grasp of issues and understanding of how reliant we are on Victoria" across south-west NSW.

"It might be OK for them in Sydney to say 'we can do this, there's only a few of you out there', it's just not fair," Ms Dalton said.

Member for Indi Helen Haines said she was "very, very disappointed" the concerns of border residents about the drawing of a border boundary had not been heard by the NSW hierarchy.

"We're seeing a response from the NSW government that is completely disproportionate to what should really be going on here and the impact on jobs, on students and on healthcare is really unacceptable," Dr Haines said.

She said it feels "like Sydney's taken a sledgehammer to our community" and it was "shocking" changes made by NSW were "restricting our freedoms even more".