AS expected, this year's federal budget was one of the most stimulatory in history with a clear focus on job and business support for the COVID-19 recovery.
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Tax breaks and the expansion of the instant asset write-off were some of the big-ticket items, with a strong focus on helping to fill the gap to consumer incomes after the reduction of JobKeeper and JobSeeker payments and encouraging business investment.
The Hunter region's peak business organisation, the Hunter Business Chamber, says the budget will be welcomed and supported by the region's business community.
"A suite of investment and job friendly measures have been announced as part of the budget which will assist many of the businesses struggling in the region," Hunter Business Chamber Chief Executive Bob Hawes said.
"These include investment incentives, an apprentice and trainee subsidy, a wage rebate for employers hiring young people (Jobmaker credit), business investment and tax concessions and ongoing financial support until the unemployment rate reaches 6 per cent.
"The focus on job creation and investment is the right for these times and the government should be commended for listening to the legitimate concerns of the business community when preparing this financial blueprint.
"We know there are businesses out there balking at employing more people so we're trusting this budget package will provide sufficient incentive for them to now commit and start hiring."
Allowing any business to deduct the full cost of eligible depreciable assets will provide a boost and incentive for businesses in our region to look closely at investing in new equipment and innovation, Mr Hawes said.
"This for example, is going to be particularly important for converting equipment to energy-efficient technologies as a way to reduce energy costs, emissions and demand on the grid while creating local jobs."
Mr Hawes welcomed funding for Hunter projects, especially the $560 million which has been pledged towards the construction of the Singleton Bypass, but says he would have liked to see further spending on infrastructure such as the Newcastle airport runway upgrade.
However New England MP Barnaby Joyce said the federal government is delivering a record spend on transport and water infrastructure at a time when it is needed most.
"The 2020-21 budget included more than $50 million to advance water infrastructure projects in the New England electorate this financial year including a $40 million instalment for the new Dungowan Dam and $12 million toward the Mole River Dam Business Case," he said.
"Major road projects are also forging ahead with $34 million being invested in the Bolivia Hill upgrade in the coming months, $4 million for the Legume to Woodenbong section of the Mt Lindesay Road upgrade and $3.8 million for the Tenterfield Heavy Vehicle Bypass planning.
"This is in addition to $14.2 million being rolled out to 10 local councils across the New England this financial year under the federal government's Roads to Recovery Program as well as $52 million in funding for New England councils under the government's Financial Assistance Grant program."
As expected, Mr Joyce was pleased with the additional funding for the Singleton Bypass.
"In New England we have been campaigning for the Singleton Bypass and the Muswellbrook Bypass to compliment the Scone Bypass," he said.
"We are half-way there with $700 million to bypass Singleton and get the highway connecting Sydney and Newcastle to Tamworth and Scone working and flowing even better to take the cash north."