However, the government says no proper funding promises had been made when the Liberal party took office in 2013.

The state government announced last week that council's application for $9.9 million to complete stage two of the work had been successful.

The money came from the Resources For Regions pool of mining royalties, which Maitland became eligible for last year.

Labor candidate for the state seat of Maitland Jenny Aitchison said the former federal government had earmarked $7 million for the Levee upgrades but the Abbott government had not honoured the agreement.

If the federal government had awarded funding, she said, the Resources For Regions money could have been spent on other projects in Maitland.

“The majority of the state government's funds could have been redirected into building a new school in Rutherford or fast-tracking the new Lower Hunter hospital,” Ms Aitchison said.

But federal Liberal MP for Paterson Bob Baldwin dismissed Labor's claim.

He said the federal Labor government had not allocated funding or completed contracts to contribute to the Levee upgrades before being voted out of office.

“The Maitland Levee was never funded by the former ALP government, it was a last minute promise by a desperate member for Hunter made in a caretaker period,” Mr Baldwin said. 

“That's Labor's style and that is what voters in the region should be wary of with the promises from the NSW Labor leader – promise projects and then ­deliver nothing.”

“The hypocrisy is just another ALP campaigning tool.”

Federal Labor MP for Hunter Joel Fitzgibbon said the $7 million had been a federal government commitment. 

“It is now clearer than ever that Tony Abbott's decision to desert Maitland has cost the city dearly,” he said.

Work on the first stage of the Levee is expected to be 95 per cent complete by this weekend. 

The second stage of work will begin later this year.