The budget, handed down by rookie NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet on Tuesday, included just $4 million for Wagga Rural Referral Hospital. 

Wagga mayor Greg Conkey said he was disappointed there wasn’t more for the city, including the next stage of the hospital works.

“We would have liked to see a commitment to fund the $170 million upgrade – I’m not sure what $4 million will do but it’s not the (full amount) – so we’ll keep lobbying for that,” Cr Conkey said.

“I’m sure the Riverina Conservatorium of Music was also looking forward to funding that wasn’t committed at this stage but I hope it may come up in the not-too-distant future.

“Having said that, Wagga has done extremely well out of the state government in recent times – the Bomen Enabling Roads, Eunony Bridge, Kapooka Bridge and Byrnes Road – it was all needed, but it would be nice to see a bit more money come our way.”

Former state Labor candidate and current councillor Dan Hayes said he welcomed the government’s spend across regional areas, but called it an “apology for six years of neglect”.

“Last year 90 per cent of the infrastructure spend went to Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong, so this is a welcome change, but where’s the money for the Gobbagombalin Bridge duplication, or the study into an Albury commuter service?” Cr Hayes asked.

“There’s all this talk of a win for regional areas, but there are still complaints about hospital staffing levels and emergency services (personnel).”

Committee 4 Wagga chief Chris Fitzpatrick said the budget was thin on details.

“I’d like to know what’s under the headline announcements,” he said. “I look forward to a discussion with the Member for Wagga to see if there are other funding provisions for the Gobba Bridge, PCYC, Glenfield Road and those sorts of things.”