Mr McCormack was speaking at a Port Macquarie Chamber of Commerce breakfast at Rydges. 

The deputy prime minister said the federal election would come down to a "matter of trust". 

He said the budget to be handed down in early April would be the first surplus Australia has had in 12 years.

"That is going to be good for consumer confidence.

"Business want people to be confident, they want stability, they want economic growth." 

Cara Dale from C2Hills Consultancy asked the deputy prime minister about the National's plans for infrastructure.

Ms Dale said she was impressed with his answer. 

"It was good to hear that we will have a budget surplus which will allow more opportunity for infrastructure in regional NSW."

She said there was a number of pressing infrastructure needs in Port Macquarie.

"Connectivity, better communication, better roads."

She urged Mr McCormack to consider relocating government jobs to Port Macquarie, citing the relocation of government jobs from the Australian Maritime Safety Authority to Coffs Harbour.

Mr McCormack said Port Macquarie was a location the federal government would consider for future decentralisation.

Tony Thorn  a director of King & Campbell said "the burning issue will always be infrastructure and roads" and he was satisfied with Mr McCormack's responses. 

Jessica Good from the land development business Soveign Hills asked the deputy prime minister how the National's planned to restore consumer confidence in the housing construction development industry if they were re-elected. 

"People still want to have the great Australian dream but in the wake of the Royal Banking Commission they are a bit tentative, they may be waiting to see what happens in the federal election," she said.

Ms Good said she while she welcomed the National's focus on job creation she was disappointed the deputy prime minister did not mention a broader strategy to address consumer confidence. 

"Jobs are important, absolutely, if you don't have a job the bank is not going to lend you money but how that cuts through to this local region I wasn't able to determine," she said. 

"I would love to hear if there is a national plan to kick start the housing industry.

"Locally we are kicking goals but the Sydney effect is scaring people."

Port Macquarie Hastings Council acting mayor Lisa Intemann used the business breakfast to ask the deputy prime minister how the National's would prioritise new road infrastructure funding in growth areas.

She used the example of the Ocean Drive upgrade near Green Meadows which was initially costed at 10 million dollars however increased dramatically once the Roads and Maritime Service became involved. 

"It is impossible for a local council to pay for that alone," she said.  

The deputy prime minister said the federal government was looking to hire more 'Tier 2 contractors' which are local contractors which would theoretically keep costs lower. 

 Mayor Intemann said she supported the move but felt the deputy prime minister "lacked an appreciation for the enormity of the needs for infrastructure to cater for growing regional populations like Port Macquarie."