Business NSW Mid North Coast regional manager Kellon Beard discusses the impacts of the Federal Budget on Mid North Coast businesses

Mr Beard was pleased with the budget's focus on job creation, tax relief and infrastructure, in a bid to stimulate spending, but was concerned by a lack of support for universities.

"We're trying to grow universities on the Mid North Coast so we're disappointed there's no money there to do that," Mr Beard said.

While strong support continues for new apprentices and trainees through wage subsidies, Mr Beard said a balance must be created with tertiary qualifications opportunities.

"It's (tertiary education) something we're trying to build on the Mid North Coast," Mr Beard said.

"It'll be good if they can get some funding because they're hurting ... they still can't get overseas students in (due to the pandemic)."

Mr Beard said a balanced approach should also be taken to the extension of the low to middle income tax offset for the next financial year.

"We can't just keep giving money out continuously," he said. "We are still recovering from the pandemic so we need to be cautious but still stimulate spending to drive the economy up."

For Mid North Coast businesses still feeling the impacts of natural disasters and the global pandemic, the instant asset write-off will be a godsend.

"This will be good for businesses if they can get some funds together to replace or update their equipment," Mr Beard said.

He said the write-off will also give businesses more confidence to hire employees, plan for the future and retrain staff while ensuring they remain profitable.

The nation's unemployment rate is predicted to drop from 5.6 per cent to 5 per cent next year and 4.75 per cent in the 2022-23 financial year.

"It would be good to see but that comes with its own concerns because we're having trouble attracting workers," Mr Beard said.

"Part of the problem with that is the housing shortage ... if we bring workers in where are we going to put them? I know a number of businesses who can't get anyone to apply for jobs so that's part of the issue we have to overcome as well.

"I don't think these are short term issues, they're long term and it's going to take a while to fix them."

Considerable skill shortages on the Mid North Coast must be addressed in future budgets.

"We need to get TAFE back to the way it was and get people who have left trades back into them," Mr Beard said.

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: