The election for the next State Government of Western Sydney is only three weeks away, and Dominic Perrottet remains busy meeting the needs of his most important constituents.
On Thursday, the government dipped into its $5 billion barrel of WestInvest pork to find money for new community health hubs in Liverpool and Glenfield and $304 million for "grand parklands" in the western suburbs.
On Friday, it was cash for "vibrant boulevards" along Parramatta Road and Victoria Road, offering the vision of "revitalised high streets, opportunities for affordable housing and more tree canopy".
As reported in the Herald this week, Perrottet hasn't been to Newcastle, labelled the state's "economic powerhouse" by his treasurer, since getting the job as premier 515 days ago.
It was left to Matt Kean to defend his boss's continued absence at a media conference in NSW's second-biggest city on Wednesday, an event which represented an extremely rare appearance by a senior Liberal minister in the region this year.
Kean said his decision to get IPART to weigh up how much Port of Newcastle had to pay the state to remove its government-imposed container penalties was evidence of how much the Coalition cared about the Hunter.
Election Diary wanted to point out that not only was this not a funding announcement but actually involved a Newcastle entity sending yet more money down the freeway, but unfortunately we ran out of time.
Nonetheless, Kean and port boss Craig Carmody looked reasonably chummy about the whole thing, a far cry from six months ago when Port of Newcastle was railing against the state for imposing the penalties in the first place.
The Premier's office later defended its spending record in the Hunter by citing two projects, the John Hunter Hospital redevelopment and the M1 extension, which date back to 2019.
It must be said that on Thursday the parly sec for the Hunter, Taylor Martin, announced a new ambulance station for Edgeworth, which is probably the most ambitious funding pledge the region has received so far in the campaign.
Oh, and on the same day the Coalition was planning "vibrant boulevards" for west Sydney, news emerged the government was walking back from trying to develop a fast rail line to Newcastle.
Ho hum.
Swing and a miss
On the subject of WestInvest, ED lobbed up a softball question to Labor leader Chris Minns during his visit to Cardiff on Monday.
We asked him if it was fair that western Sydney was getting so much and the Hunter so little.
Minns didn't exactly grab the bull by the horns and slam the porkfest.
"Our point would be we want to make sure we're in a position where we're giving resources and grants to regions based not on interference but based on need, and not the political needs of the government," he offered.
"We've announced a whole lot of integrity measures related to that."
Labor hasn't showered the Hunter with promises during the campaign, either, despite Minns' assurance that his local MPs have "sharp elbows" when it comes to demanding more for the region.
Minns twins
Dom might not have appeared in the Hunter lately, but people were seeing two Minnses on Monday as the man who would be premier toured the Downer rail workshops with Lake Macquarie candidate Stephen Ryan.
The two have a passing resemblance, and the obligatory white business shirt, hi-vis vest and safety goggles added to the effect.
Ryan later confirmed the two were both 41.
If his mission to prise Greg Piper out of his seat doesn't work out, the former journo and now barrister could have a future as a body double in the Minns security detail.
Port still short
Twenty-one days out from the vote, and four days from the official close of nominations, the Libs still don't have a candidate for Port Stephens, a seat they held up to 2015.
ED asked Kean about this and he said it was a "matter for the party".
One potential Liberal candidate was asked just before Christmas to have a run at Port Stephens but knocked it back because he didn't have time to raise his profile.
ED has been assured the party will have a warm body in place by close of nominations on Wednesday.
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