BARNABY Joyce has vowed to keep money in the electorate ahead of expected cuts in next month’s budget.
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Agriculture Minister and Member for New England said keeping funding for the University of New England was at the top of his priorities.
But he did promise he would continue to fight to see the hospital upgrade happen.
The federal budget is expected to be announced on May 13 with Mr Joyce saying there was no money left.
That meant it will be hard to keep money, but even harder to get new funding.
“I have to be on the balls of my toes keeping money for Armidale,” he said.
When asked what money the city risked losing, Mr Joyce said it was funding for the university.
“[Bureaucrats] are just saying, ‘this is how it works: ‘do you want the university or do you want the hospital?” he said.
“I know that we have to fix up the hospital … Armidale hospital is going to be hard and I will just keep fighting until I get there.”
He said being a minister was fortunate because he could more easily safeguard the electorate.
“I talk to [Education Minister] Christopher Pyne about things to do with the University of New England ... I can do that because I am in cabinet with him. The moment I step out of cabinet … then I can’t talk to him. I can lobby him but we are no longer of the same rank.”
A spokesman for the university said Mr Joyce had been a strong supporter.
“UNE has not been given any indication of the likely impact on the regional University sector. UNE would hope that our funding base is maintained, allowing us to continue the vital research efforts which contribute so much to the growth and productivity of our nation.”
Mr Joyce said the alternative to making cuts was to increase revenue, which he suggested could come from the live cattle trade and coal exports.
However, he explained there were some who were reluctant to go down that route.
Despite ministers being told to tighten their belts, Mr Joyce announced a win for his department last week with $2.3 million of funding as part of the social and community support package. It would help farmers affected by the drought.
Centracare New England North West was one of the local recipients, with the funding going towards providing support services and individual counselling.
Mr Joyce said he had fought hard to help farmers and believed it was money well spent.