FEDERAL BUDGET 2025 WRAP UP

The Committee’s 2025 budget submission acknowledged the considerable investments of the Australian Government into Hunter infrastructure over the term, aligned to regional priorities. 

Our advocacy focused on the obvious next steps that would complement and expand the benefits from this investment. 

While there were no big Hunter-specific wins in last night’s budget, broad cost of living and healthcare measures will benefit our communities. Cuts to HECS debts and fee free TAFE will provide some reprieve for Hunter students on their necessary education journey. 

Buried within the budget papers, there were several announcements responding to our homegrown plan for growth that we had presented to the government and the Opposition: 

✅ Funding to continue the Newcastle pilot APS Academy Campus 

✅ Incentives to grow a construction workforce 

✅ Funding for social housing and enabling infrastructure that unlocks homes, although we remain guarded on how much of these previously-announced resources are landing in the Hunter. 

The establishment of a new Front Door for investors is something the Committee has advocated hard into Prime Minister and Cabinet’s Net Zero Economy Agency as part of an integrated transition plan for the Hunter. Our next steps will be ensuring the mandate and representation of the proposed Investor Council doesn’t just channel prospects into the capital cities but into the Hunter’s engine industries of health, defence and clean energy.    

There is more capacity for Hunter announcements during the election campaign with funding buckets determined but projects not yet announced. This includes the outcomes of grant funding programs like the Regional Precincts and Partnerships Program for which the Committee wrote several letters of support for local proposals.   

We can understand the focus on big, shiny toys during budgets and elections as an expression of focus and relative prioritisation of the Hunter, and disappointment when these aren’t granted.  

It’s valid for people to point to the Hunter’s safe seats as a reason why we don’t get more attention. But it’s fundamentally not helpful in informing our role as an advocate. The Committee continues to fight for public investment to be made on merit because the Hunter will always float to the top.  

As an example, recent commentary on Newcastle Airport doesn’t mean the Committee strikes projects from our wishlist because politicians don’t have appetite today. A hyper-political environment of short-termism makes our role even more important; keeping governments focused on the long-term interests of Hunter communities and accountable for delivery.