In April, Foreign Minister Marise Payne and the PM said Australia would push for an independent international inquiry into the origins of coronavirus.

In the months since, China has cancelled a range of Australian imports, locking up export industries in the New England North West worth billions to the local economy.

READ MORE:

Statistics from the Australian Bureau of Statistics show trade-exposed industries are worth nearly two-thirds of the agricultural production in the New England North West region.

Cattle and calves are worth $611 million, followed by cotton $390 million and wool $115 million. All three have been affected by trade restrictions.

Mr Joyce said local producers were regularly calling his office to tell him of their frustration.

"People ring me up. Yes, I am being contacted by people who say caution is the better council on how you deal with statements that affect our major exports. I'm really reflecting what I'm hearing," he said.

Mr Joyce said there was no doubt about it: "they are making an example of Australia".

But the former Deputy Prime Minister said Australia was tiny compared with the might of China and shouldn't have put its head over the parapet by calling for an inquiry in the first place.

"The United States should have said it first. Quite obviously it's dangerous to dance with an elephant unless you're another elephant," he said.

The Prime Minister has come under heavy criticism from opposition parties for what they call inept and heavy-footed diplomacy.

"People saying we don't step back from our liberties of our democracy, not for one second. But we don't just walk into a pub and start throwing punches at the biggest person we can find because we think they're smoking a cigarette."

The virus first emerged in China, and is believed to have spread from a Wuhan wet market.

Have your say, send a letter to the editor.