Wagga MP Joe McGirr has expressed disappointment in the decision to exclude Wagga from the border bubble as arrivals from Victoria in NSW are directed to stay at home.
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Arrivals in NSW from anywhere in Victoria since 11.59pm on February 12 must comply with the five days of lockdown restrictions currently underway in the state.
For those in the 'border bubble,' only people who have come from the Greater Melbourne area need to follow the lockdown rules.
Late Friday night, a NSW spokesperson confirmed Wagga was not part of the border bubble.
The bubble map released by NSW Health was last used just before the state re-opened its border to Victoria in late 2020.
Over Christmas, Victoria in turn shut the border to NSW, creating its own 'border bubble' map which allowed free movement for Wagga residents across the border.
Dr McGirr said he believed Victoria's map had been more successful, and he did not understand why NSW had decided not to use it and include Wagga.
"It worked a lot better, frankly, last time when the Victorian closure happened," he said.
He said he had asked for clarification, and the health department was standing firm on its decision to keep Wagga out.
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Dr McGirr said another border closure was "frustrating," but he expected they would be part of life until enough Australians were vaccinated due to the increased risk of new variants of the virus.
"I think people understand the impact of acting quickly with this virus ... what we've learnt is if we can act quickly with this sort of short lockdown, then we avoid longer lockdowns and we do less damage to the economy and to people," he said.
Arrivals to Wagga are still trying to wrap their heads around what restrictions apply to them.
One traveller who arrived at the Wagga Railway Station on Saturday after a holiday in Melbourne said a friend had called him an hour before his arrival to tell him he would be impacted by restrictions and he was heading home to find out exactly what he needed to do.
He said he was willing to do whatever was required "as long as it helps keep the virus out."
"It's alright, the situation is out of my hands I guess," he said.
