Member for Riverina Michael McCormack expects Labor's budget to ignore the regions

The member for Riverina expects Labor's first May budget to largely ignore the regions and called on the government to deliver $45 million in funding for infrastructure projects in Wagga.

He wants $20 million in funding for a proposed Charles Sturt University Agripark, $5 million for a Veterans' Well-Being Centre and $20 million for a new Wagga Airport terminal - all promises made by the former Coalition Government during last year's election.

"I know I'm going to be disappointed next Tuesday, but it's not just me but the people who I represent that I'm most concerned for," he said.

"We need a new airport terminal ... It's something the city deserves."

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Mr McCormack said Labor's federal election candidate for the Riverina, Mark Jeffreson, should have advocated for the airport in particular once his party came to power.

"During the state election [Labor candidate] Keryn Foley made a few promises ... and when the Labor government was elected ... they were honoured," he said.

"Mark Jeffreson didn't go and lobby and advocate for that Wagga Airport."

He also criticised Wagga council for prioritising other projects, such as the Equex Centre, over the airport upgrades.

"Had they chosen to not do [other projects] and went to the airport terminal then the airport terminal would have happened," he said.

Mr Jeffreson, Riverina Labor president, said the previous government had nearly a decade to fix the airport and "they didn't do a thing".

"It's not our business to put forward to implement his promises that he made," he said.

Wagga will receive $50,000 in funding for improvements to two local schools - Kooringal High and Wagga Christian College - according to Mr Jeffreson, while changes to pharmaceutical prescriptions will help 6 million Australians save on their pharmaceutical bills.

But Mr McCormack said Riverina families will get "very little" relief from cost of living pressures in this budget, with HECS debts and power prices continuing to rise.

"Labor's budgets are always cruel to regional Australia," he said.

Although he would not advocate for increases to Jobseeker payments to alleviate cost of living pressures, instead with "80,000 vacancies in regional Australia" he urged people to "exhaust all available opportunities before they go asking for Jobseeker increases".

Mr McCormack did, however, acknowledge Labor's announcement of $250 million in roads funding in recent days - $1,182,889 will go to the Wagga LGA.

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