Tuesday’s federal budget included a $594 million allocation for pre-construction works and to acquire land along the route, but did not include specifics of where the track would run.

Farrer MP Sussan Ley said funding was a further investment for the Australian Rail Track Corporation to continue with the project.

"We've pretty much established the corridor will come through Albury," she said.

But Indi MP Cathy McGowan said the rail project could also be fantastic for the Victorian side of the border.

“This decision has been long-awaited by businesses in Indi, including Logic in Wodonga,” she said.

“This is crucial transport infrastructure for regional Australia, including Indi.”

Ms McGowan said details in the budget around the wine equalisation tax would be “a controversial decision”.

She said Indi wine makers would have rarely claimed back the highest allowed amount of $500,000, so they would accept a lower cap of $350,000 from July 1 next year and $290,000 from 2018.

The system had been rorted by larger wine companies, but measures to stop this had been delayed until 2019.

Ms McGowan said Senator Nick Xenaphon backed her stance on the WET.

“He and I are both very disappointed that (rorting) will continue to happen,” she said.

The Indi MP was critical of the end to the National Stronger Regions Fund, which funded millions of dollars of infrastructure works.

She said she was more excited about an entrepreneurs initiative than the Youth Jobs PaTH program, where businesses could provide risk-free internships.

Albury university student Breanne Shaw said she would welcome the opportunity for an internship when she started searching for a job in the social work field.

“You’re getting experience in a workplace you want to work in, so it gives you skills for the job and employers can tell you what they want,” she said.

“It’s something the Border should definitely get involved in.”