NSW Regional Health Minister Bronnie Taylor and Victorian Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas undertook the ritual alongside Albury MP Justin Thomas and the leaders of Albury Wodonga Health.

The activity followed a long wait and comes amid great demand for hospital services due to the COVID pandemic and it also occurs as plans for a new Albury-Wodonga hospital remain central to debate about health services in the Twin Cities and surrounds.

Ms Taylor rejected the suggestion such a move was a "waste of money" given the possibility of a new greenfields hospital.

"What we do know is that these solutions, regardless of how quickly we work and what we do, are a significant time away in terms of the absolute reality of building and refurbishing," Ms Taylor said.

Both ministers were non-committal when asked if they supported a new Albury-Wodonga hospital.

They did say they would be pushing for health department progress towards signing off a new intergovernment agreement for the cross border health service.

The latest iteration of the pact, which covers NSW and Victorian funding and operational roles, has been left unfinalised for years with the agreement two years beyond a due date for signing in June 2020.

Reaching a deal on the new agreement was linked to progress on health service planning by Ms Thomas who labelled the Victorian Opposition's commitment of $300 million for a new hospital an "empty promise".

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"What I am focussed on is working, doing the hard work to deliver the intergovernmental agreement, the master plan, the work that has to happen between our governments, between Victoria and NSW to ensure that we can deliver the health services that the people of Albury-Wodonga deserve," Ms Thomas said.

Victorian Opposition MP and member for Benambra Bill Tilley shot back at Ms Thomas' description of the Coalition's Border hospital promise.

"To call our commitment to a new hospital an empty promise is just tired, lazy political speak by a government that is tone deaf to the needs of 300,000 people," Mr Tilley said.

The ministers plan to meet again in coming weeks to further discuss Border services.

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