Over the past month, about $20 million worth of projects - to appear in Tuesday's 2019-20 federal budget - have already been announced for the Border.
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But politicians, community groups and residents will have their fingers crossed for even more.
'Incredible investment' for Albury-Wodonga Health
The biggest announcement so far came on Thursday, when Senator Jane Hume visited Wodonga hospital with news of $12 million for a 20-bed mental health rehabilitation unit and $2.5 million worth of specialist clinical services.
She described it as an "incredible investment".
"It will provide inpatient care for mental health patients," she said.
"It will also provide a transition for inpatients before they re-enter the community and, on top of that, it will provide an alternative for emergency department presentations for mental health."
Towers to fix more blackspots
Another eight mobile phone towers, including four in Farrer and four in Indi, will cost at least $2.8 million in total to install over the next 12 months as part of the mobile blackspot program.
"It is about equity, it is also about understanding that this nation was built on the back of regional Australia," Senator Bridget McKenzie said.
"There is more to be done always and we look forward to being able to do that at the next election."
It's a deal for the twin cities
Tuesday night's budget will also include an initial $3.1 million for an Albury-Wodonga regional deal, as announced by Senator McKenzie at her National Press Club address last month.
The initial funding will be used for strategic planning, to speak to councils and chambers of commerce to map out details of the deal.
Albury and Wodonga councils will be hoping projects worth many millions will continue to be budgeted for in future years.
Commenting after the announcement as the independent candidate for Farrer, Kevin Mack said it would cost a lot more than $3.1 million to ensure the Border had the capacity to support a the proposed population of 375,000 within 20 years.
"There has been no commitment by the minister to a white paper process to progress regional development planning - something I would have thought was absolutely necessary to ensure Albury‐Wodonga can cater to a growing population, while maintaining a high standard of living for all those living in our regions," he said.
Mr Mack was not the only one looking for a bigger slice of funding.
McGowan hopeful for more announcements
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg this week announced energy assistance payments of $75 for singles and $125 for couples, to be granted to 3.9 million low-income earners, which Indi MP Cathy McGowan said was welcome, but "not much".
Her top priority was the government also investing in renewable energy, and the jobs that could follow.
The Hume Community Energy Hub is a project formed as a collaboration between Mondo Energy - the renewable arm of AusNet Services - councils, businesses, community groups and government agencies.
Mondo has described it as a new energy model, based on proving that communities can generate, store and share their own renewable energy.
"It is a three-phase model with phase 1 involving a $95 million investment into 29 projects across Benalla, Wodonga, Wangaratta, Barnawartha North, Shepparton-Tatura and solar farms at Winton Wetlands and North Wangaratta," Ms McGowan said.
"There is nothing happening from either major party in relation to regional manufacturing and the link to jobs.
"They are not addressing regional electricity prices for regional manufacturing and this is a huge issue."
She was also hopeful of funding for projects that missed out in the building better regions fund including $13.5 million for a dementia wing at Cooinda Aged Care in Benalla, $7.5 million to expand the Odyssey House drug rehabilitation centre in Molyullah, $2.6 million for a bike trail from Germantown to Harrietville and $602,000 for the Corryong Community Health and Fitness Centre."
Ley says cost of living issues need to be addressed
Farrer MP Sussan Ley said this year's budget was the most important in the past decade.
"In the last fortnight we've flagged more funding for local roads, rail, regional airports and the $3 million deal for Albury-Wodonga, so this is turning into a very good budget for us," she said.
"But our region also needs extra help with their family expenses and budget.
"This can't all be about infrastructure projects, it also needs to appreciate just how people are currently coping with the cost of living."
Mr Frydenberg will release the federal budget with a speech from Canberra at 7.30pm Tuesday.
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