The NSW Police Minister says Victoria should do the "decent thing" and help pay for the cost of closing the border between the two states, amid surging coronavirus infections in Melbourne.
About 1,000 police officers and soldiers from NSW are making their way towards the state line to help close crossings at midnight.
NSW Police Minister David Elliott said it was a costly exercise and Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews should foot part of the bill.
"I would think that would be the decent thing to do, given this is an outbreak that's caused by a situation in Melbourne," he said.
"But we can't rely on other governments to do the right thing all the time.
"So as far as the New South Wales Government is concerned, we'll be providing the financial support that's necessary.
"Obviously with the defence aid, that comes within each individual agreement, the application that's made."
Mr Elliott said he felt sorry for people in Melbourne.
"It is a sad situation for Australia. I mean, it's the second largest city, it's the second strongest metropolitan economy," he said.
"I feel for the people of Melbourne who have certainly tried to do the right thing.
"But they've been let down by a number of circumstances."
He said deploying troops and police officers to patrol the border was a large operation.
He said the regulations would be sympathetic towards people in the border communities such as Albury-Wodonga.
"This isn't a punishment," he said.
"Don't think we'll have police, military personnel with big black sticks trying to punish people for doing something.
"People will be confused, communities will be upset, local businesses will be interrupted, but what we'll always do as a Government is to minimise the burden."
About 650 NSW police officers are currently heading to the border, with 350 defence personnel set to be in place by the weekend.
NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller said patrols had been categorised into three levels.
The six main arterial roads between NSW and Victoria to have checkpoints will be Wodonga Place and the Hume, Cobb, Sturt, Newell and Princes highways.
There are also 28 "category B" roads which will also have a full-time police presence.
Twenty other dirt tracks will be patrolled through aerial surveillance.
Defying the new public health order carries a maximum penalty of $11,000 and six months in jail.
