Riverina Murray regional manager Anthony McFarlane said businesses might have reopened but many are still doing it very tough after losing weeks of income.

"Before we even went into the regional NSW lockdown a lockdown impact survey in July had already told us 20 per cent businesses only had four weeks liquidity, cash reserves, to survive," he said.

"After 18 months of border restrictions and the impacts of the Greater Sydney lockdown our businesses were much more vulnerable going into this lockdown and certainly an early reopening open from that perspective is welcome."

Australian Industry Group's Tim Farrah said the true impact of the latest lockdowns in NSW and Victoria won't be clear for some time.

"Without a doubt the next months will be very revealing in terms of how many businesses don't reopen their doors," he said.

"We won't see true picture for at least a month or two, at the moment everyone is just holding their breath hoping it won't be the worst case scenario.

"But there will certainly be a significant number of businesses that just won't survive."

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Mr Farrah hopes the Victorian government will reconsider its harsh hospitality limits of ten people indoors and 20 outdoors.

"It is a shame that there wasn't a bit more thought put into it and discussion with industry about what level some of these businesses profitable," he said.

"There's no point saying you can open at level if you can't make money [at that level], it's not just nonsensical, it's cruel."

Despite this, the removal of lockdown had 'lifted the mood' in both cities Mr Farrah said.

Mr Farrah said it was great to see the Victorian government embracing common sense by saying future lockdowns would be area-specific.

The reopening allows businesses to make money, but it doesn't make up for the lost income of recent weeks, Mr McFarlane said.

"Although we have the looming threat of one case and we'll be put back in lockdown, [reopening] has given us the opportunity to make hay while sun shines and while we're able to," he said.

"It's really important and will allow businesses to build up some reserves should we have to go back to lockdown before hit reopening targets in roadmap."

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