Don't punish Victoria over roads: Shorten

The federal opposition wants the government to retain the money in the budget that would have been spent on Victoria's East West Link.

Bill Shorten is writing to Tony Abbott urging the prime minister to keep the money set aside for Melbourne's East West Link in the budget.

The Victorian government wants the federal coalition to keep its word and contribute $1.5 billion to the Western Distributor road project, not the East West Link which the state opposes.

"Tony Abbott is punishing Victorians for electing a Labor government. He can't treat Victorians with this contempt," Mr Shorten said.