DEPUTY Prime Minister Michael McCormack will be in Tamworth on Friday and Barnaby Joyce says the first thing on the agenda is discussing funding for the city's university campus.
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The University of New England (UNE) has committed to opening a campus on Peel Street, at the old velodrome site, however it needs federal backing.
"I would like to announce it as an election promise and I will be conveying that to Michael McCormack," Mr Joyce said.
"I'm going to keep lobbying for it. I will utilise ever mechanism I can to get this done."
The NSW government has already committed $26.6 million to the development, and UNE is seeking at least $10 million from the federal government.
However, according to project's business case it will need about another $16 million to get off the ground.
While Mr Joyce is yet to make a formal commitment, he is extremely confident of securing the funding.
"I don't even think it is a matter of whether it will, it is a matter of when, it would happen," Mr Joyce said.