Hunter business groups have generally praised this year's Federal budget, while others labelled it a lost opportunity that bears the hallmarks of an election budget.
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Business Hunter chief executive Bob Hawes said the budget would bring a range of economic and social benefits to the region.
In particular he welcomed the extension of the Job Trainer scheme and the asset expensing on depreciation for businesses initiative.
"Funds to maintain support for a further 12 months for the tourism and aviation sectors are also welcomed. This assists in maintaining connections to regional and rural areas that would otherwise fail," he said.
"The addition of $250m to the building better regions fund whilst modest is welcomed."
As the Newcastle Herald has previously reported, the government will spend $66 million on the upgrade of Newcastle Airport's runway to international standard.
Mr Hawes said this project would complement ongoing defence expenditure outlined in the budget.
"Continued investment in Defence will reinforce the role of Williamtown and to a lesser extent Singleton which is beginning to move to a new level thanks to the efforts of the stakeholders involved in Hunter Defence," Mr Hawes said.
Committee for the Hunter chief executive Alice Thompson welcomed the budget's initiatives relating to unemployment, training and mental health.
"Youth unemployment, access to job opportunities, skills and training, and mental health were identified as key issues in applications to the Youth Committee for the Hunter," she said.
"We welcome the commitments in the Budget that target these areas and will discuss how we can help young people access these resources and identify any gaps when the Youth Committee meets for the first time next week."
Shortland MP Pat Conroy described the budget as a "hodge-podge of announcements" that lacked a coherent plan to rebuild Australia.
"There was pretty much nothing in it for the Hunter outside of the Newcastle Airport funding," he said.
"Despite all of their announcements, this budget cuts infrastructure spending by $3.3 billion.
"The Government forecasts that wages will fall over the next few years despite them racking up $1 trillion in debt and the huge boom in iron ore prices."
Mr Conroy said the $17.7 billion aged care did not go far enough.
"The Government has refused to commit to funding all of the aged care royal commission recommendations. There's nothing in this that guarantees increased wages for nurses and carers or locks in staff ratios, and there's nothing to stop the Maserati driving millionaires behind some privately own aged care facilities from pocketing this money."
"This Budget is a missed opportunity and there's not enough to show for the huge debt and deficit it will result in."
Director of the University of Newcastle's Centre of Full Employment and Equity, Emeritus Professor Bill Mitchell, said he was skeptical about the government's intentions.
"They have been dragged kicking and screaming into this; they have got to do this otherwise they are history," he said.
"The question is is this an election budget or a change of direction? I think it's an election budget."
Emeritus Professor Mitchell said time would tell how serious the government was about reducing unemployment.
"Generally speaking if they are true to their word and they are genuine about reducing unemployment rather than worrying about some numbers on pieces of paper (the deficit) that is an improvement in the direction," he said.
He expressed concern about at the speed at which the Government was reducing fiscal support throughout the economy.
"They are relying on all of us going out and spending like crazy," Emeritus Professor Mitchell said.
"The problem with that is at the moment Australian households are using their lack of spending to pay down debt and that's an appropriate thing for them to do because it is at dangerous levels. It would be much better if they didn't withdraw the fiscal support as quickly as they are and therefore relying on us spending more of holding savings and paying down debt."