Newcastle Labor has pledged to spend $4.5 million on tree planting over the next three years, increasing the council's annual spend by almost $500,000 per year.
The commitment to plant more street and park trees, which is dependent on a re-elected Labor majority council, aims to further expand the city's "urban canopy and address urban heat island impacts".
"We have worked closely with the community to plant new trees in suburbs across the city," Labor lord mayor Nuatali Nelmes said.
"Our commitment today will ... see a significant increase to the city's current yearly tree-planting investment.
"By increasing our urban canopy we will reduce the urban heat island effect, absorb and store more carbon to help further drive down the city's emissions, provide more food and shelter for wildlife, assist to purify the city's air and water, and improve the health and well-being of our residents, while making our streets and parks more beautiful and liveable for all."
The council has budgeted to spend $1.1 million on new trees this financial year. Labor's pledge represents about $1.5 more than is likely to be spent over the next three years. The announcement follows the Greens recent pledge to work towards setting a 40 per cent urban tree-canopy cover target across Newcastle by 2035.
"We will commit the city to tree canopy targets to ensure our street trees meet the need for urban cooling, carbon sequestration and reducing air pollution," Greens lord mayoral candidate John Mackenzie said.
"We will establish guidelines and planning controls that encourage and incentivise green roofs, green walls and living architecture.
"We will amend the city's urban forestry plan to deepen urban biodiversity, especially through food producing and pollinator species."
Labor used its announcement as an opportunity to attack the Newcastle Independents for pledging to spend $1 million on tree planting, which deputy lord mayor Declan Clausen said would "cut our city's annual tree budget by $100,000 a year"
"The contrast is clear: Newcastle Labor's commitment will see more trees planted across our city and suburbs," he said.
Newcastle Independents lord mayoral candidate John Church said his pledge was "the responsible response to a budget which has been in deficit for two years".
"The Newcastle Independents want to see more trees planted in our city," he said.
"Of course they need to be the right species in the right places and preferably not under powerlines.
"We fully support the expansion of our urban forest to assist with the cooling and greening of the city's public domains, while enhancing habitat.
"Equally council must be prepared to remove those problem trees which cause damage to private property such as roofs, driveways and drains and replace them with plantings in more suitable locations."
The council has run an operational deficit the last two financial years, mainly because it increased works spending and due to the impact of the pandemic.
Meanwhile, Liberal lord mayoral candidate Jenny Barrie wants to increase street lighting in some areas.
She said recent break ins at inner-city unit blocks, including letterboxes being rifled through, cars broken into and bikes stolen, were "a nuisance to residents".
She pledged to "ensure adequate street lighting is installed in areas of increased criminal activity and around inner-city units and residential areas".
"The protection of residents across the City of Newcastle is one the most important commitments as Liberals we will make if elected," Ms Barrie said.
