The Commonwealth could hand down its third budget next week without funding the UNE's Tamworth campus.
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Member for New England Barnaby Joyce said the Tuesday budget will build on the "massive investment we've had in our area" after years of coalition government.
But he said it's still not clear if next week will bring the long-awaited final ingredient to build the city's university campus.
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"I hope, that as confused as it has been, that possibly we can get further with the university," he said.
"It's sort of changing positions and changing requirements that on behalf of the people of Tamworth I've been had to deal with."
The state government, which has thrown $26.6 million at the project, demanded two years ago that the Commonwealth throw in their own $10 million in a specific line item in the federal budget for the project.
Mr Joyce said it's not much money in the context of a multi-billion dollar budget which funds hundreds of thousands of university placements, but it does seem like a "crazy caveat to place" on the plan.
"We've already done it in kind with Commonwealth-guaranteed [university student] positions," he said.
"The issue for this is, it's like me saying I want a one-line item from the state government on defence expenditure. If I said I want a one-line item on Commonwealth funded positions or we won't do it, they would go that's crazy. The state doesn't do Commonwealth-funded positions. It's kind of in the same vein. But nonetheless, I'm fighting for it."
Business leaders told the Leader communications upgrades were top of their budget wishlist.
Business NSW regional manager Joe Townsend said better phone and internet connections would be "the key enabler for our region to grow beyond its current capability".
"It's the ability to attract high professional services back into regional NSW," he said.
"It allows those individuals to be connected in the community and not to have to leave to pursue those higher, successful jobs."
Tamworth Business Chamber President Stephanie Cameron said digital connectivity is key as Australia competes in the global economy.
"What I'd really like to push for is those areas around the region that are not connected to those high-speed broadband systems. You can go out to places like Moonbi or Kootingal and they don't get that same service that we in town might get," he said.
"[Tamworth needs] more of an equal playing field and having access to it. Would you call it access if you've got to pay $200,000 for it and someone in town has to pay $2,000?"
A university campus would also help locals be able to stay in the city and get the qualification they need to get ahead, Mr Townsend said.
Mr Joyce said people should not assume a project unfunded at budget time won't get Commonwealth money later in the year, pointing to the Dungowan Dam scheme as an example.
"I'm sure the money will turn up," he said.
The centrepiece of the budget on the macro side would be tax cuts, he said.
The government is expected to borrow heavily to fund the budget measures.
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