NSW Deputy Premier flags 'ring-fencing' NSW-Victoria border towns

NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro has flagged the possibility of "ring-fencing" communities on the border between New South Wales and Victoria or moving the border ahead of Wednesday's closure.

Mr Barilaro said he was concerned about the economic impact of the border closure on those living in border communities like Albury-Wodonga and Echuca-Moama.

"It is an issue when you look at that bordering community, that border is a seamless border.

"We've got to save lives and stop the pandemic from coming into New South Wales, that has got to be our number one priority.

"But we can work around that and supporting the communities and businesses with strong services on both sides, we can do that."

"We can ring-fence that region on top of the border closure, and make sure that no one's disadvantaged," he said on Tuesday morning.

"Even though there's a border closure, it'll be more like how do we actually ring-fence that border community so they don't get penalised.

"Those borders are the gateway to Sydney, to New South Wales, in my mind."

The Deputy Premier said the government would consider moving the area restricted to Victorians to the outside of towns, so people living in border communities would not feel the effects so much.

"Those things we can still do, we can look at that border [restriction zone] being south of Wodonga or north of Albury. We can do that."

"We've announced that border closure, but we'll work within that community to make sure it's as seamless as possible.

Mr Barilaro said Premier Gladys Berejiklian's decision to close the border as cases of coronavirus soared in Melbourne was the right one at the right time.

He said he was particularly concerned about the mingling of holidaymakers from Victoria and Sydney at New South Wales' ski resorts, which finally opened to the public on Monday after a delayed start thanks to coronavirus and poor snow conditions.

"The biggest risk in my mind is what happens at the ski fields, because a lot of Victorians ski [Mount] Kosciuszko, a lot of Sydneysiders ski Kosciuszko.

"That mix is a problem, and that's why the border closure yesterday was announced," he said.

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