NSW Premier Mike Baird denies he's avoiding being seen with an unpopular prime minister while he's on the campaign trail.
Tony Abbott held a doorstop interview in Kogarah in Sydney's south, at 10.15am on Wednesday while Mr Baird held a media event in Blakehurst, less than five kilometres away, at 11am.
Mr Baird was asked if it was awkward that the two leaders weren't together despite being in the same part of Sydney.
"No - I wasn't aware the prime minister was here today," he told reporters.
"But I mean the prime minister should be going about the business of being prime minister and I'm going about the business of being premier."
Mr Baird denied he was keeping his distance from Mr Abbott amid concerns that the PM's sagging popularity might hurt state Liberals in next month's election.
He also pointed out that he held a press conference with Mr Abbott in Sydney on Sunday.
"That is not a question here," the premier said.
"The question here is what will the people of Sydney face if we don't win the election because we are the ones with a plan to actually reduce congestion."
Mr Baird was in Blakehurst to announce a $300 million funding promise to widen roads on some of the most congested corridors in Sydney's south.
But he said the money would only be made available through his proposed partial lease of the state's electricity network, which he is taking to the March election.
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