Tamworth university backers' Canberra trip for $10m pitch to Education Minister

In two weeks, the Tamworth University Working Group will head down to Canberra to speak with Dan Tehan.

The group's spokesman, Mitch Hanlon, said he'd sought letters of support from both Tamworth mayor Col Murray and Tamworth MP Kevin Anderson, to show the Commonwealth "that all tiers of government, and the whole community, are behind it".

"We want a federal government commitment of $10 million, and on top of that an ongoing funding agreement for placements," Mr Hanlon said.

"That way it's not just a one-off lump sum. We want to make this viable forever."

Earlier this year, New England MP Barnaby Joyce said he was confident the federal government would contribute the $10 million, but stopped short of making it an election promise.

In February, Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack confirmed he had met with UNE to discuss the plans for a second campus in New England.

The NSW government has already committed $26.6 million to the Tamworth campus.

If the federal government agrees to contribute $10 million, the development will still need a further $16 million to get off the ground.

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