Hunter councils ask NSW for $938 million to unlock 61,000 homes

The Hunter’s ten councils are asking the NSW Government for $938 million in roads, water, sewerage and stormwater works, which they say would support about 61,000 homes. The state has not committed to the money.

For a Hunter developer or builder, the ask is a marker of where the bottleneck sits: councils say development-ready land exists across the region, but trunk infrastructure has not kept pace, so approved projects can stall before a slab is poured. Any funding that does arrive would be tied to the same enabling works that hold up civil and subdivision jobs. It also feeds the same debate that shapes supply in Sydney and its fringes.

Why it matters

The Hunter Joint Organisation (HJO), which represents the region’s councils, says data from the ten councils indicates roughly $938 million of infrastructure investment would unlock 61,000 new homes. It describes the constraint as enabling infrastructure rather than land, according to an HJO media release dated 12 October 2026.

Mayors and general managers will go to NSW Parliament House on 15 and 22 October 2026, according to Newcastle Weekly. They want commitments from government, opposition and crossbench members ahead of the 2027 state election.

HJO chair and Singleton mayor Sue Moore said: “Our region contributes enormously to the NSW economy, but we’re also experiencing significant change.”

The package goes beyond pipes and roads. Councils want temporary accommodation built for major projects converted to permanent housing once construction ends. About 1,000 temporary homes are expected to be needed for workers on the Hunter Transmission Project, Newcastle Weekly reported. They are also pressing on road funding, economic diversification and the financial sustainability of local government.

The numbers

• $938 million: the infrastructure ask, covering roads, water, sewerage and stormwater.
• 61,000 homes: the councils’ estimate of what that spend would support.
• $100 million a year: the long-term infrastructure funding program the councils want the state to adopt, per Newcastle Weekly.
• $116 million: what Hunter councils paid through the NSW waste levy in 2024-25, per the HJO release.
• $5.9 million: the share returned directly to councils for waste initiatives that year.

These are council estimates, not a government figure. An HJO case-study sheet on enabling infrastructure carries a footnote that its figures are not yet designed or costed by a quantity surveyor, so the $938 million should be read as an advocacy number. We found no NSW Government response accepting or rejecting it.

The waste levy point is a funding fight in its own right. The councils want the levy revenue distributed differently, arguing the Hunter sends far more into the state’s pool than it gets back.

What’s next

The Parliament House visits on 15 and 22 October are the first test. Expect the councils to press the ministers responsible for planning, housing, water and roads, and to seek a position from the opposition and crossbench as well.

Watch for three things. First, whether any party commits to a dedicated Hunter enabling-infrastructure program rather than a general housing fund. Second, whether the waste levy rules change. Third, how the temporary worker housing for the Hunter Transmission Project is sited and whether it is designed for conversion to permanent homes.

Developers with Hunter projects waiting on water, sewer or road connections should log their dependencies with the relevant council now. Concrete examples of stalled sites are the kind of evidence that strengthens a funding case.