When Labor seized power in NSW a year ago after more than a decade in the political wilderness, the Hunter appeared poised to finally have a stronger say in the government's direction.
Freshly minted premier Chris Minns named five of the Hunter's seven Labor MPs in his first cabinet, promising their "sharp elbows" would ensure the region secured its fair share.
Voters' ballot-box dalliance with the Liberal party in 2011 was history, and the self-proclaimed Labor "heartland" had five seats at the table.
For fans of the musical Hamilton, the region was, at last, in "the room where it happens".
But a year is a long, long time in politics, and the Hunter's influence has waned.
Newcastle MP Tim Crakanthorp became embroiled in an unresolved Independent Commission Against Corruption investigation last year which stalled the centrepiece Hunter Park project, losing his skills, TAFE and tertiary education portfolio and the Minister for the Hunter job along the way.
Mr Minns made it clear at the time he was unimpressed with Mr Crakanthorp's alleged failure to disclose the extent of his extended family's property holdings near the Hunter Park precinct at Broadmeadow.
Meanwhile, Wallsend MP Sonia Hornery became embroiled in a messy and very public brawl with her Labor colleagues on Newcastle council over the "privatisation" of the city's inland pools.
The stoush, which shows no signs of ending, has set nerves on edge in Labor's Sussex Street headquarters.
Now Swansea MP Yasmin Catley is facing calls to be sacked as police minister over a string of controversies, including a questionable recommendation from her office to appoint former Seven journalist Steve Jackson as head of the police media unit under Commissioner Karen Webb.
The Sydney Morning Herald editorial on Tuesday declared the "NSW police minister needs to go", describing her handling of the Jackson affair as "trademark incompetence".
The police portfolio is undoubtedly a tough gig, and it will be up to Minns to decide whether Catley survives.
Hunter voters should hope she does and that she goes on to establish herself as a senior cabinet minister. The region needs politicians with clout.
Ms Catley also now holds the Hunter portfolio. It is hard to believe she has much time left in her day for the regional role.
As the Newcastle Herald reported on Monday, Minns has not been to Newcastle since winning office in March 2023.
His predecessor, Dominic Perrottet, did not come to the state's second biggest city during his 536-day tenure as premier.
As far as the Herald can tell, the last visit to Newcastle by an incumbent premier was 1272 days ago when Gladys Berejiklian unveiled designs for the John Hunter Hospital rebuild on October 2, 2020.
Meanwhile, the government has stripped funding from key Hunter programs, dragged the chain on establishing a Hunter economic transition authority and canned the Greater Cities Commission.
From a Hunter perspective, the government's one-year report card makes disappointing reading.
Can do better.
