Kevin Anderson's wishlist for Tamworth in 2016/2017 NSW Budget

This budget he’ll be concentrating on roads and education. He’s also got his eyes on a few health projects, while Gunnedah remains to be a “huge focus”.

Mr Anderson said roads had been a focus of his for the last four years, pointing to the ongoing work at Manilla Rd, Oxley Hwy, Gunnedah Rd, Meadows Ln and Appleby Ln.

“I’ve still got my foot on the pedal for roads funding,” he told The Leader.

“While there’s money coming in to fix those roads, I want that money to continue. It improves travel time, roads are safer, easier on drivers – it makes a really big difference.”

New England MP Barnaby Joyce has promised to fund the duplication of Tamworth’s Jewry St bridge, but first the Manilla Rd upgraded needs to be finished.

“There is no point duplicating the bridge if the bottlenecks around Manilla Road haven’t been fixed,” Mr Anderson said.

The state government had already funded major work along the road and Mr Anderson said the project needed up to $4m to be completed, which was “hopefully coming”.

He’d also like to see money allocated to Port Stephens Cutting. Tamworth Regional Council has estimated the upgrade to the notorious stretch of road on the outskirts of Tamworth, which is barely wide enough for two lanes of traffic, would cost more than $20m.

“Whether that [money] is there I don’t know, there might be some seed money,” he said.

“If not, then that’s something we’re going to have to push for.”

There are three big road projects in Gunnedah Mr Anderson wants to see funded.

He wants to get a “a couple of million, maybe more” for the start of Gunnedah’s second rail overpass, which has been plagued with years of delays while its budget has ballooned by the millions.

“The detailed design is about done and paid for, what I’d like to see is some money now to start the project,” Mr Anderson said.

It’s unlikely all the money will be grant in one hit and instead will be released as the project developed.

“If it’s a $52 million project, you won’t see the $52 million, but you will see a substantial slice to get going,” he said.

“I’d like to see close to $10 million, that’s my wish. Let’s get the thing on the road and get the bloody thing moving.”

There is “significant work” to be done on Bloomfield St, Gunnedah’s heavy vehicle bypass.

“It needs to be resealed and made thicker so it holds heavier trucks,” Mr Anderson said.

“Work needs to be done around the schools on that road – there are three schools on that heavy vehicle bypass. We need to make sure we put in the correct signage.”

He’s also hoping to fund a “brand new roundabout on Boundary Road”, which will allow cars to continue to flow through as the heavy trucks turn on to Boundary Rd to access the Bloomfield bypass.

The Hoss Causeway near Somerton is also on his hit list.

“If your travelling Gunnedah, there is a dip as you’re going into Somerton – the slightest bit of rain and that thing floods, leaving towns isolated,” Mr Anderson said.

“So we want to put culverts underneath and lift that road up.”

Every year Hunter New England Health (HNEH) is allocated money to do minor capital works on its hospitals.

Mr Anderson said he wants some of that money to be spend on Gunnedah hospital and Tamworth hospital’s rehabilitation unit.

“I’m already into them, I had a chat with [HNEH CEO] Michael DiRienzo yesterday,” he said.

“I said ‘whatever is in that budget, I’m coming after you for some of that’.” 

The middle section of Gunnedah hospital – the corridors, kitchens, laundry, admin and some clinic rooms – need an upgrade.

“It’s the original part of the hospital, it is cold, it’s dark, it’s damp,” Mr Anderson said. 

A modernised hospital would help attract staff, he said.

“If you’ve got a nice fresh place, people will want to come and work there, they don’t want to work in a dark, damp, cold concrete block,” he said.

In February, HNEH announced Tamworth’s rehabilitation unit was set to get a major facelift, following mounting feedback from the community – but remained tight-lipped about the cost of the project.

“I’ll be touching up Michael DiRienzo about the rehab to make sure that money is in the capital works for the rehab,” Mr Anderson said.

NSW Education Minister Rob Stokes was in Tamworth on Wednesday and Mr Anderson took it as an opportunity to try and twist his arm for some more local funding.

“I’ve asked him to come have a look at a couple of things, before they lock [the budget funding] away,” Mr Anderson said.

He recently announced $5.5m to tackle the $28m maintenance backlog faced by schools across the electorate, including $700,000 for Tamworth High School and $175,000 for Tamworth Public School.

“There is some more to come on that I would hope,” he said.

“I also want to see some money for Farrer [Memorial Agricultural High School].

“These guys are boarding in conditions that I think are due for an upgrade. The dorms and also their tech space, some of their working areas.”