'Fly the flag': NSW Premier missing in Newcastle a year into the job

The Premier's absence has been noted by numerous organisations and he's been accused of taking Newcastle for granted, despite four Hunter MPs sitting within his cabinet.

However, Mr Minns insists "Newcastle is one of my favourite places" in the state.

Australian National University political science emeritus professor John Warhurst said a leader's presence often showed their interest and taking a city for granted in a political sense was never a good look.

"It does seem strange...[Newcastle] is just up the road so to speak," Prof Warhurst said.

"I would expect a Premier to visit just about everywhere in 12 months, even just to fly the flag."

Former Liberal premier Dominic Perrottet infamously never visited Newcastle in his 539 day reign as the state's leader. The closest he got was Maitland's outer suburb Metford.

Committee for the Hunter chief executive Alice Thompson said successive Premiers have faced calls to have a greater presence in the region.

"That's because it provides a strong indication the NSW government values the region," Ms Thompson said.

"Absence is conversely perceived as a lack of interest and care, especially when the Hunter is only 90 kilometres north of Sydney."

Liberal shadow minister for the Hunter Scott Farlow said Labor was "taking every voter in the Hunter for granted", and with "no vision for the future" and numerous infrastructure budget cuts, Mr Minns had no reason to visit Newcastle.

"There's been so little action that the Premier has not even bothered to visit, because he has nothing to say," Mr Farlow said.

"Not one metre of road was funded in the last budget for upgrades to Nelson Bay Road and there is no further progress to plans for Tomaree Lodge.

"Cessnock Hospital upgrades are stuck in planning and questions remain about how many students there will be at Medowie High School and what resources will be cut at other high schools in the Hunter."

Labor won its first election in 12 years on March 25, 2023. Mr Minns has visited the Hunter three in the past year, however not Newcastle, making it conspicuous in its absence.

On September 1, he did a blitz of the Port Stephens, Maitland and Lake Macquarie electorates.

It included visits to the Tomaree Coastal Walk, Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary, Energy Renaissance at Tomago and the Speers Point Road upgrade project and a $15-million for the Thornton Rail Bridge duplication project.

In July, Mr Minns was in the region twice - once in Greta and once in Singleton - to pay tribute to the victims of the Greta bus crash.

Mr Minns said he planned to break his year-long Newcastle drought in June.

"I'm looking forward to it... Newcastle is one of my favourite places in the state to visit," Mr Minns said.

"I know there are many people doing it tough and there are important issues facing Newcastle and the Hunter."

The Hunter's economy is in the middle of a $66-billion transition, and with four MPs on the frontbench, Ms Thompson said the Premier had a golden opportunity to host the cabinet in the region.

"Having the Premier in the Hunter and bringing the NSW cabinet here would provide a huge boost of confidence in our region and be very well received," she said.

"Decisions on state significant priorities would also benefit from an understanding of how the Hunter can better contribute.

"Local representation in cabinet gets our region's opportunities and challenges to the very centre of decisions. We would welcome the opportunity for ministers and their offices to experience the opportunity in person."