Independent candidate for Farrer Kevin Mack said he was disappointed to see very little for the electorate, or Albury and Wodonga.

"At this point Albury missed out, we haven't been fortunate enough to receive any funding," he said.

"It's same-same - safe seat, no money."

His comments were in contrast to Liberal opponent Sussan Ley, who said the Albury-Wodonga regional deal "was always the big ticket item" for the Border in the budget.

Mr Mack welcomed the mental health funding for Wodonga hospital and $6.3 billion for drought assistance loans, though he said they may not have been necessary if the government had "not stuffed up the water plan and the Murray Darling Basin".

The Border will wait to see if it benefits from broader announcements of more rounds of mobile blackspot funding and $4.5 billion for roads.

"There are funds for 'strategic highways', whatever they are. It's another word for 'we'll decide where the money goes'," Mr Mack said.

Across the river in Indi, Liberal candidate Steve Martin - who was in Canberra on Tuesday for the announcement - said the roads funding was important, while getting the budget back to surplus.

"It's something that as I've been travelling around the 50 towns, I've got lots of feedback on," he said.

Labor's Indi candidate Eric Kerr said there was more to budgets than just living within your means, such access to health care, education and affordable housing.

"The budget's not an indication of the health of a nation, it's the health of the purse," he said.

"The health of the country is still floundering.

"(The budget) is being used as a precursor to an election without actually announcing one, which is frustrating."

MORE BUDGET COVERAGE:

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