There's a long way to go before the doors to Newcastle's new entertainment centre swing open, but the government hopes to complete detailed design works for the $500 million project by the end of the year.
Minister for the Hunter Yasmin Catley said she hoped that the $14 million allocated for planning in the Broadmeadow Precinct would start a chain of events that would gather momentum.
"We're putting our money where our mouth is," she said.
"This is part one. Stay tuned."
Venues NSW will use the money for detailed design work and tendering documents for the project, which is forecast to entertain more than 640,000 people and generate almost $41 million annually for the local economy.
"We want them to work in tandem. Ordinarily you would get half the money to do the design work and half the money to do the tendering work," Ms Catley said.
"This (approach) means that we'll be able to have a really detailed design and know exactly how much the whole project is going to cost going forward."
Ms Catley said she hoped the work would be complete by the end of the year.
"We will really be pushing to ensure that we get those detailed designs so we know exactly what it is required for the next step."
The budget allocated $82.2 million to continue Stage 1 John Hunter Hospital works over the next year, but there was no funding for Stage 2.
Funding for the highly anticipated second stage works has become a stand-off with the Commonwealth.
"We will continue to work with the federal government to ensure that it progresses. It absolutely has merit, we all know that," Ms Catley said.
Business Hunter chief executive Bob Hawes said Stage 2 funding was essential to ensure the new building operated at its optimal level and delivered the services the community needed and expected.
An additional $2.9 billion will be spent on nurses and midwives' wages over the next three years.
NSW Nurses and Midwives Association general secretary Michael Whaites said the wages bill reflected the size of the essential workforce.
"We're pleased our members' wage rise has been funded in this budget. It demonstrates that this investment was affordable all along, and Labor should have negotiated in good faith to help close the gender pay gap in NSW, rather than forcing the state's largest female workforce to fight for it every step of the way," Mr Whaites said.
Property Council Hunter regional director Stephen Crowe said the budget continued to fund major infrastructure projects but fell short of the "step-change" needed to unlock the region's next phase of growth.
"While continued investment in these projects is welcome, this budget doesn't yet provide the level of investment needed fully to unlock the Hunter's next phase of growth," Mr Crowe said.
He said the Hunter had reached a critical transition point with strong population growth, emerging industries and significant investor interest, but delivery on the ground was still lagging behind the region's potential.
"The Hunter has a clear growth story, but the gap between strategic intent and delivery remains too wide," Mr Crowe said.
Hunter Jobs Alliance community organiser Sam Wilkins welcomed the government's commitment to supporting Tomago Aluminium, although the exact figure will be subject to negotiations with the Commonwealth.
"Daniel Mookhey has said renewable energy investment is a key factor in keeping NSW's economy moving," Mr Wilkins said.
"Tomago is exactly the kind of opportunity that proves the point: using cheap renewable energy to anchor major industry, drive new investment, and generate economic activity for the state."
Similarly, business groups welcomed the government's continued investment in renewable energy infrastructure, including an additional $39 million over four years for an acceleration fund to fast-track projects.
"We need to improve the pace of delivery of renewable projects to stay on track to meet our Net Zero targets, and having transmission infrastructure and transport connections in place is a critical step," Mr Hawes said.
Hunter domestic and family violence charities have "cautiously welcomed" a boost in funding for services as they wait to find where exactly the funding will be allocated.
Front-line domestic and family violence services have been allocated a $184.1 million increase in this year's state budget, which the government says is a 50 per cent increase in funding over four years.
Hunter Domestic and Family Violence Consortium regional coordinator Lisa Ronneberg said she was waiting for more information on the funding to see how it would benefit the Hunter.
"We're cautiously welcoming the funding announcement because we haven't really seen the details," Ms Ronneberg said.
"We don't know if the funding will be divided equally amongst all the programs or if there will be equitable distribution," she said.
The funding will go towards six programs including the supporting victim-survivors, helping women and children remain safely in their homes after violence, reducing violent and abusive behaviour through the Men's Behaviour Change Program, after-hours assistance to victim-survivors, and providing support and trauma-informed services for children and young people.
Ms Ronneberg said it was "disappointing" that there was not any specific funding for women and children's refuges.
"It is clearly good that the government is acknowledging that we do need an increase in funding," she said.
Ms Ronneberg said Domestic Violence NSW, the sector's peak body, had called for an extra $177 million annually for services.
"In terms of what the actual need is, it doesn't quite meet that," she said.
Jenny's Place CEO Dawn Walker said they were happy to see funding for programs for children and young people.
"What is really important to us is to really, fully understand how this funding is being channelled," she said.
Minister for Women Jodie Harrison noted that rates of domestic and family violence were higher in regional NSW, including in the Hunter, but couldn't specify how funding would be split across the state yet.
"We want to make sure that this funding gets to where it is needed most," she said.
"We'll be working with services over the coming months to look at exactly what that looks like on the ground."
