Tamworth MP Kevin Anderson expects Tamworth university, Dungowan Dam and Gunnedah hospital projects to kick off soon

It's the Year of Big Ticket Items, with Dungowan Dam, Tamworth's university campus and Gunnedah hospital at the top of the priority list, and Mr Anderson said 2022 will be one of the most significant years of infrastructure the region has ever seen.

The newly-appointed Minister for Lands and Water, and for Hospitality and Racing said he won't be afraid to wield his extra power to secure funding to get things started.

"I'll be pulling every lever I can to make sure that projects in our region get funded, and ensuring that our region has a very strong voice at the cabinet table and ensuring that these projects that mean so much to our community get taken to the highest level," he said.

"So, if I can use my influence and use that to greater serve our communities in the Tamworth electorate, and our community gets the benefit from me being in these positions, then that's a very good thing."

Builds on big ticket items including the new Banksia Mental Health Unit and an upgrade to the long-lamented Port Stephens Cutting road are also set to begin.

When asked what his number one priority was, Mr Anderson didn't hesitate in saying it was the $480 million Dungowan Dam project.

Like federal Member for New England Barnaby Joyce, he said watching the project progress so slowly has been painful, and it was time to get shovels in the ground.

"My focus is to get construction started as soon as possible, that will be my number one goal in the first couple of months of this year," he said.

"I would want the pipeline work to continue, but the physical digging in relation to the dam has to start, I don't want to wait until the pipeline is constructed before we start construction on the dam.

"I want them to be happening at the same time."

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As for the UNE campus, Mr Anderson said physical work shouldn't be too far off now the terms of agreement and deed for the block of land has been sorted.

Health infrastructure, which has never been more important in the region, is also something at the forefront of his mind, he said.

The new Gunnedah hospital is set to cost more than $50 million to construct, but he said it has to be completed quickly to help deal with the town's health crisis.

"In health it's about getting doctors for our region in Gunnedah, there's some good work happening behind the scenes but I want that work to come to fruition," he said.

"I want that work to actually get an outcome because that's something our people really need - doctors.

"So I want to start the construction of Gunnedah Hospital."

Significant upgrades to Goonoo Goonoo and Werris Creek roads are also on his wishlist for the next year.

While the projects have gone through most of the planning stages and had funding committed to them, there are other things Mr Anderson wants to see get off the ground in 2022.

He said he had been in consistent contact with interest groups for the Tamworth Aquatic Centre and Tamworth Performing Arts Centre and Cultural Precinct, and was awaiting further action from council before he sought out funding.

"They're council projects so they need to have their ducks in a row, they need know what the project looks like, they need to scope the project and then obviously we will then have something to take to government," he said.

"We're talking to sports ministers and others about these projects and getting them on their radar, and then when something formally comes from council then we'll be able to get pushing on that.

"We've got a full book of exciting projects for Tamworth that will continue to drive this city forward."

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