Vic wrangle over East West Link continues

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg says building the East West Link was part of the plan to keep the economy afloat and keep Victoria moving as the population continues to grow.

"We do not expect a cent from the Victorian government, we will put down $4 billion of federal money to make this project a reality," Mr Frydenberg told reporters on Sunday.

"We work best when federal and state governments politics aside and come together on important infrastructure projects, and the East West Link is one important project."

The East West Link would connect the Eastern Freeway to the City Link via a tunnel underneath Melbourne's congested northern suburbs, with Prime Minister Scott Morrison pledging cash to build the axed project during the election campaign.

But Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews remains steadfast against building the road he dumped back in 2014 at a cost of $1.2 billion to taxpayers.

"This thing doesn't stack up, it's never stacked up, the money they're offering is nowhere near enough to get it done," Mr Andrews told ABC radio on Sunday.

"The other point, and I don't make this as a partisan point, it's just a fact, you'd struggle to fit it in to the work program that we've got at the moment."

Mr Andrews said building the East West Link would delay the North East Link already being built and create issues with labour and raw materials because so many other projects are underway.

The premier also insisted the Victorian budget would stay in surplus and fund all of his own election promises made during last year's state campaign, despite the generous offerings of federal Labor now being off the table.

The state government delayed their budget by a month, saying it needed to see who won the election to know how to balance the books.

"It will be a surplus budget, a AAA rated budget and it will deliver on each and every one of the promises made," he said.

Australian Associated Press