The government will spend $2.4 billion over the next four years on regional infrastructure, the Minister confirmed this morning, in a package the opposition has already described as "long overdue but light on detail".
Speaking from a construction site outside Bathurst, the Minister said the money would be directed to 14 priority regions identified in last year's regional review. Roughly a third is earmarked for road and bridge upgrades, a third for regional hospital capacity, and the remainder split between community facilities and digital connectivity.
How the money breaks down
The headline figure includes $780 million already notionally allocated in the 2025 budget, meaning the net new spend is closer to $1.6 billion. Departmental officials briefed on the announcement said detailed project lists will be published by mid-May, with the first contracts awarded from July.
Not every priority region will see funding in year one. The Minister acknowledged "practical sequencing" would mean some projects start in 2027 or later, though he rejected suggestions this amounted to a re-announcement of existing commitments.
Opposition reaction
The shadow minister, responding at a press conference in Canberra, welcomed the direction but questioned the delivery. "We've heard these numbers before," she said. "What matters is whether the contracts get signed and the shovels go in the ground."
Business groups representing regional contractors were more positive, noting that even the re-announced portion represents a meaningful pipeline of work for companies outside the capital cities.