Hunter

Local government areas

Cessnock, Dungog, Lake Macquarie, Maitland, MidCoast, Muswellbrook, Port Stephens, Singleton and Upper Hunter Shire

_{The metropolitan Newcastle local government area is included in population numbers but is not considered part of regional NSW.}

Health

• $1.0 million to plan for future paediatric oncology services in Hunter New England. 

Continue to deliver:

• $890.0 million John Hunter Health and Innovation.
• $180.0 million Lower Mid North Coast Health Service (Manning and Forster–Tuncurry).
• $138.0 million Cessnock Hospital redevelopment.
• $45.0 million stage 3 of the Muswellbrook Hospital redevelopment.
• $22.0 million Maitland Integrated Community and Community Mental Health Service.
• $7.5 million Maitland Hospital car park.
• Funding for the Hunter New England Mental Health Service and Awabakal Medical Service.

Education

• 7,199 teachers receiving a pay rise.
• 13 public preschools under construction, four schools built since 2024 and seven schools under construction. 

New funding to:

• Deliver a new primary school and co-located public early learning in the Chisholm area.
• Co-located public early learning on two primary school sites delivered in partnership with the Australian Government at Cessnock East and Muswellbrook public schools.
• Relocate and expand Cooranbong Public School with co-located public early learning.
• Relocate Maitland Grossmann High School to a new site.

Continue to deliver:

• The government’s 100 public preschools commitment at the Booragul, Cessnock, Ellalong, Gillieston, Kearsley, Kurri Kurri, Moorland, Nulkaba, Taree, Tenambit, Teralba and Weston public schools.
• Huntlee new primary and high schools, including co-located public early learning.
• Upgrades to high schools in Lake Macquarie and Muswellbrook and an upgrade at Thornton Public School.
• Net Zero Manufacturing Centre of Excellence located at TAFE NSW Tighes Hill in Newcastle. 
• Upgraded trades training facilities at TAFE NSW Musswellbrook.

Transport

• Funding for the M1 Pacific Motorway upgrade from Wahroonga to Beresfield.
• Funding in 2026–27 for the Regional Corridor Upgrades – Muswellbrook to Armidale (Phase 1 and 2), supporting the New England renewable energy zones.

Continue to deliver over four years:

• $390.5 million to continue the M1 to Raymond Terrace extension.
• $119.1 million for the construction of the Singleton bypass.
• $258.2 million for work on the Muswellbrook bypass.
• $87.4 million towards the Nelson Bay Road upgrade.

Net zero transition, energy, environment and water

• $530.0 million to design and construct the Belmont Desalination Plant.
• $73.1 million to deliver critical repairs to damaged flood management assets across the Hunter.
• $2.4 million in 2026–27 to nourish sand and rehabilitate Stockton Beach.

Primary industries and regional development

• $14.0 million set aside to progress planning and development of the Broadmeadow precinct and Newcastle Entertainment Centre.
• $4.0 million for critical maintenance and remediation work at Walka Water Works.
• Continue the $3.7 million Hunter Regional Livestock Exchange Development Project in Singleton.