Hunter MP Joel Fitzgibbon and Labor candidate for Paterson Meryl Swanson promised, if elected on July 2, a Shorten government would throw $10 million at the Testers Hollow flood problem.

Flooding has been an ongoing issue at Cessnock Road/Main Road for decades. The road has been cut by floodwater for a period of about a week twice in the past 14 months.

Ms Howard criticised the announcement as just another unfunded promise.

I have met with residents affected by flooding of Testers Hollow and I understand residents concerns, she said.

We know Labor has a multi-billion dollar black hole and no way of paying for their spending promises - and what they cant pay for they will never deliver. It is irresponsible.

Mr Fitzgibbon said Ms Howard and the NSW Government were refusing to acknowledge the problem.

He said Ms Howard should support the people affected when Testers Hollow flooded.

[NSW Premier] Mike Baird and his government continue to sit on their hands, arguing that there is no case for fixing Testers Hollow, Mr Fitzgibbon said.

While they do, flooding will continue, communities will remain isolated and local residents are still being ignored. Unfortunately, the comments of the Liberal candidate for Paterson show she prefers to put petty party politics ahead of the needs of local residents.

The Liberal candidate for Paterson should stop defending the indefensible and get behind the thousands of people who suffer each time Testers Hollow goes under water.

Meanwhile, the state government earmarked no funding in the 2016/17 state budget this week to address the issue.