3.6 New England and North West

• An additional $2.6 million for First Nations-led culturally responsive suicide prevention initiatives.

Continuing to deliver the:

• $105.0 million Moree Hospital Redevelopment
• $50.0 million Glen Innes Hospital upgrade.
   

• Upgrades at Tamworth High School as part of the High Potential and Gifted Education School Partner Program.
• Ongoing work to progress delivery of the Government’s 100 public preschools commitment, including at Toomelah, Hillvue and Warialda Public Schools.
• Continuing works on local upgrades at the following schools:
  • Armidale City Public School
  • Woolomin Public School
  • Tamworth High School
  • Niangala Public School
  • Rocky River Public School.
• $1.8 million for Community Connectors to continue providing support to First Nations high school students in Armidale and Tamworth.
• As at the start of the 2025 school year, teacher vacancies had reduced by an average of 52.1 per cent across the New England and North West Local Government Areas, compared to the peak of the teacher shortage crisis in 2022.
   

Partnering with the Australian Government to deliver:

• $54.4 million over four years to continue planning for the New England Highway duplication (Goonoo Goonoo Road)
• $31.0 million over four years to continue the Newell Highway Heavy Duty Pavement Program to deliver over 20 kilometres of new pavement, intersection improvements, widening of road shoulders and the provision of five additional overtaking lanes between Narrabri and Moree.
   

• $1.3 million to continue the Keep on Track Program for a further two years in Moree, Narrabri, Armidale and Tamworth.
   

• Continuing $58.2 million in partnership with the Australian Government for the Northern Basin Toolkit to improve the ecological health of Northern Basin rivers through environmental infrastructure.
• $3.0 million in 2025-26 for the Tamworth Advanced Water Treatment Plant to investigate treatment and use of recycled wastewater by reducing demand on potable community water supplies.
   

• Continuing the $224.8 million Moree Special Activation Precinct to support Moree becoming a thriving business hub, with sustainable water endowments and new technologies to support diversifying its strong agricultural economy.
• $27.3 million to establish the Future Jobs and Investment Authority to coordinate new economic opportunities in coal-producing communities.