Goonoo Goonoo Rd and Port Stephens Cutting in MP's sights

The projects made the cut in the federal government's response to the 90-day Infrastructure Investment Program (IIP) review released on Thursday, November 16.

As part of the review, Ms King said the federal government would no longer contribute more than 50 per cent of the funding, split with the states, which has some MPs concerned projects already in the pipeline but not yet started will have their funding cut.

However, the spokesperson for Ms King said the Goonoo Goonoo Road duplication and Port Stephens Cutting upgrade will be built as planned.

"The Australian Government commitments of $20 million and $32 million respectively for these projects remain - currently representing 80 per cent of both projects' funding," the spokesperson said.

Tamworth MP Kevin Anderson said he is now just waiting on confirmation from the state minister for regional roads and transport, Jenny Aitchison.

"My expectation would be that, fingers crossed, they are still okay to be funded [also by the state]," Mr Anderson said.

Mr Anderson said that when the state Labor government came into power in March, all road infrastructure projects were either put on hold or pooled.

"We made it very clear to the roads minister then that Goonoo Goonoo Road and Port Stephens cutting were a priority," Mr Anderson said.

In response to the review Ms Aitchison said the government was "carefully considering the impacts of all decisions made".

"The former state and federal Liberal National Governments racked up record debt, and cost blow out after cost blow out on major projects," the minister said in a statement.

"I think most community members accept the need for governments to promise what they can afford to deliver and manage their budgets responsibly."

New England MP Barnaby Joyce said federal Labor "is not giving us anything new" with their recent infrastructure review.

"The Inland Rail is still on hiatus. It's just been put into mothballs. And that's an incredibly bad outcome for the whole of regional Australia including New England," Mr Joyce said.

"All they've really done with half the review is come back and said, 'we're not giving you as much money as we're going to give you before'," Mr Joyce said.

Meanwhile, the federal member said it's "back to work", following his recent marriage and honeymoon to Vikki Joyce nee Campion and he thanked everybody for their kind support.

"I realise that people have got more pressing issues on their plate, such as the cost of living, so thank you very much," Mr Joyce said.

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