New England leaders talk budget ahead of this week's reveal

There's been a flurry of announcements made in the New England in the weeks leading up to this point.

Business tax cuts, NBN upgrades, incentives for hiring, investment stimulus and infrastructure spending like $13 million in road and bridge renewal - all in the past month.

These already promised boosts to the New England's economy has created optimism that the largest deficit in decades can't even dim.

Federal MP Barnaby Joyce has faith this pandemic budget will have "vision" for the New England's communities.

But what takes out the top of his wishlist? Getting the controversial multi-billion-dollar New Bradfield Scheme built.

Otherwise his focus remains on capital expenditure, especially on roads and water-based infrastructure.

Tamworth's Business Chamber president Jye Segboer said he wished for a review of the winding back of JobKeeper, especially for those industries hit the hardest like travel and tourism.

"Help large scale events take place in a COVID safe way that will help bring back tourism into regional areas," he stated.

Business NSW regional manager Joe Townsend says an announcement yesterday gave him hope the budget will outline a clear path to business recovery.

Mr Townsend said his faith in the delivery of this pathway was strengthened with the government's commitment to subsidise half of all new apprentice and traineeship wages until September 30, 2021.

"This Federal Budget is like no other, it needs to clearly outline our pathway to recovery and methods the government will implement to support the economy well beyond programs like JobKeeper and JobSeeker end," Mr Townsend said.

"A consistent trading environment with long term regulatory changes will provide confidence for business.

Mr Townsend said he was "definitely feeling more positive."

"Come Tuesday, we will have a very open view as to where the government sees us in the future and a key requirement is a clear outline on the pathway to recovery," he said.

Mr Segboer said he hoped to see a review of the winding back of JobKeeper "whilst the states continue to play games with the border closures these industries will continue to suffer."

"We hear many businesses struggling to get new staff so the conditions around being on JobSeeker needs to be addressed," he said.

A big part for Mr Townsend was also making sure there were jobs and opportunities available for young people and school leavers.

He said this has been addressed and will be further, especially with the unveiling of more details on fruit picker incentives.

"Our international borders were closed to protect our safety, and now we need support businesses reliant on international students, skilled workers and migration," he said.

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Mr Segboer hoped to see loan deferrals and interest freezes for those businesses still suffering "until there is a vaccine in place".

Mr Joyce was happy with how the budget was shaping up so far.

Things he had been long advocating for, such as $50 million for drought water infrastructure, had been put on the table - while still calling on the state government to match the pledge.

But if there was just one thing he would like to see from the budget, however, it would be a plan to get water from Queensland to western parts of the state and to NSW.

The highly-controversial scheme was a top priority for Mr Joyce as he made the successful play for the front bench earlier in the year.

"If you started on that you set us up for 40 years - I think you'd have shown real vision of how to make the economy stronger, and how you fix problems such as the water issues of the lower upper Murray Darling, and also vastly improve the ways of use of agricultural land, hopefully for mum and dad use not corporations," he explained.

"If I had one wish it'd be that ... that has vision enough to pull us through."

But "appropriate projects" like roads, bridges, Dungowan Dam, and drought water infrastructure will make for a "stronger economy" either way.