That project was at the top of the region's infrastructure wishlist.

Attention will now turn to persuading the state government to jump on board with funding to support a necessary upgrade to the airport's passenger terminal to dovetail with the completion of the runway works and the anticipated securing of international airline services.

But that's a case to be put for another budget.

Tomorrow, all eyes will be on Canberra, to see what Treasurer Josh Frydenberg will deliver after a budget year like no other.

So what can the Hunter expect?

Interestingly, the airport runway upgrade is not the only project that has been ticked off the region's wishlist in recent times.

Reflecting this week on the enabling infrastructure priorities that Business Hunter identified in our 2019 advocacy for both the state and federal elections, many of the big-ticket items have now been accounted for.

The M1 link to Raymond Terrace, Singleton and Muswellbrook bypasses and the final stage of the Newcastle Inner City Bypass have all received full or staged funding commitments; the first stage of the John Hunter Hospital redevelopment has been confirmed; and the Williamtown Special Activation Precinct has been declared by the state government, with a final report on the framework and development map expected soon.

The advocacy emphasis on those projects has therefore shifted from securing commitment to ensuring the flow of funds and project construction programming continues at the level required to keep delivery on schedule.

The M1 link now comes into a much sharper focus given the runway works are due to be completed at Williamtown in early 2023.

Hunter Park (the Broadmeadow sports and entertainment precinct) and the Glendale Interchange are projects more in the realm of the state government and will be the subject of separate attention.

The region has also been asking governments to move their attention to the Port of Newcastle's ambitions to diversify trade activity, with a container terminal as the spearhead.

It is hoped the resolution of the current Australian Competition and Consumer Commission Federal Court challenge to the legality of the port commitment deeds will help facilitate that project.

In the meantime, the opportunities for the port and the region will continue to be the subject of fierce advocacy.

Another significant regional infrastructure project, spruiked by the Prime Minister himself at a Business Hunter-hosted event at Tomago in September, is the proposed gas-fired power station to be built on the site of the former Kurri Kurri aluminium smelter.

Mr Morrison stated that then that the government-owned Snowy Hydro would step in to build the plant if the private sector did not come forward with alternative plans for filling the energy supply gap that will be left by the closure of the Liddell Power Station in 2023.

The project has received a mixed reception, but Business Hunter maintains that gas is an important bridge to a lower-carbon energy future and the firming capacity that can be delivered by a gas-fired power station will be essential to powering industry as we transition to a new energy mix with a stronger focus on renewables.

Away from major infrastructure projects, the budget is expected to contain significant investments in mental health, aged care and child care, but with last September's mini-budget revealing record debt and deficit levels, cash-splash measures are not expected.

We hope to see a continued focus on job creation, given the success to date of this strategy in maintaining a buoyant national economy in the face of COVID challenges.

Boosting skills and labour supply and getting unemployment down remain important priorities.

Funding to support the take-up of apprentices and trainees over the pandemic period has staved off what a year ago was shaping as both a youth unemployment crisis and a significant disruption to the skills pipeline.

The pandemic also saw the University of Newcastle halt its $200m investment into a new STEMM facility on the Callaghan campus, a project that has already achieved planning approval and is 'shovel ready'.

Support in the budget for the higher education sector could be a mechanism to fund this project given the crippling drop in income caused by the loss of international enrolments and other pandemic-related challenges.

The foreshadowed creation of national disaster agency to sharpen emergency response is a welcome initiative, its importance reinforced by the succession of natural and health crises that have beset Australia over the past two years.

On that note, we also hope to see a strong commitment to accelerating the vaccine rollout, which is crucial to the national COVID recovery on so many levels.

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