The NSW government is holding out on targeted financial support for struggling border businesses including an Albury wellness centre which has a checkpoint keeping the state virus free located on its doorstep.
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The state's Finance and Small Business Minister Damien Tudehope was again pressed on government relief during a mid-week hook-up with business and community leaders.
Courtney Callesen's business Basq Beauty Spa and Wellness was closing in on its two-year anniversary in the city's former visitor information centre when the coronavirus pandemic began and led to a statewide shutdown of her industry.
But the latest and most significant blow of shutting the NSW-Victoria border more than month ago.
"Things have got progressively worse," she said.
"It's obviously very confronting and intimidating what is happening out the front and unfortunately everyone thinks we're closed, but we're not.
"We used to get a lot of walk-in business with people buying vouchers and the like, but that has stopped."
Ms Callesen was able to secure some rent relief from her landlord, Albury Council, for the initial shutdown, but is awaiting a response on further help.
She has also had two employees unable to work because they live outside the border bubble.
"People want to work, but they can't," she said.
Mr Tudehope said in a statement his government's "first and foremost" priority was ensuring the health and safety of its residents.
"There is a terrible situation playing out in Victoria and unfortunately this has had an impact on our state, especially those businesses on the NSW-Victorian border," he said.
"Late last month NSW Small Business Commissioner Chris Lamont and I visited Albury to see first-hand what impact the border closures were having on the border communities and small businesses.
"The NSW government is currently considering options to support businesses impacted by the border closure."
It remains unclear how long the border closure will be in place with Business NSW regional manager Andrew Cottrill said the level of suffering was continuing to grow.
"We know it has quite a profound impact on the basis of our survey of over 1200 businesses in the border region," he said.
Lobbying to have Henty, Culcairn, Beechworth and Yackandandah included in the border region is also ongoing.
