Victoria wants Canberra to cough up more infrastructure funding in Tuesday's budget - but only on its own terms.
The state gets just eight per cent of federal infrastructure cash and Labor Premier Daniel Andrews has loudly pushed for more.
But apart from a $1.45 billion mix of regional rail upgrades mainly in coalition seats, Victoria is already going it alone on other projects.
The $11 billion Melbourne Metro Rail tunnel is being built with state money, while Victoria wants a private operator to fund a rail link from the CBD to the airport.
The newly renamed West Gate Tunnel project is set to be funded by toll company Transurban, while another toll road, the North East Link, is at least two years away from contracts being signed.
Still - Treasurer Tim Pallas says if Victoria got funding equivalent to its 25 per cent share of the country's population, it would get a $6.6 billion windfall.
"We could well and truly make this state fly," he said on Wednesday.
The state is focusing its funding campaign on $1.45 billion it expected to receive as a bonus payment for selling the Port of Melbourne lease under the asset recycling scheme.
Canberra only wants to hand over $877 million, arguing Victoria didn't send a letter in time to get the rest.
So Victoria has put all the money into regional rail upgrades to try to wedge the federal coalition MPs who represent those areas.
The state also wants as much money as it can get for suburban level crossing removals, but the federal government has not been keen to fund them.
Shadow treasurer Michael O'Brien said Mr Andrews has not put any projects forward for federal funding, apart from regional rail.
"Daniel Andrews can't expect the federal government to write him a blank cheque for infrastructure projects, particularly after his behaviour in wasting over a billion dollars on tearing up the East West Link contract," he told AAP.
VICTORIA's KEY FEDERAL BUDGET WISHLIST
* $1.45 billion for a mix of regional rail projects. Victoria says this money is due to the state as a bonus payment for selling the Port of Melbourne lease.
* West Gate Tunnel. Formerly the Western Distributor, this $5.5 billion project relies on toll road operator Transurban stumping up most of the money in exchange for a toll extension.
* North East Link. A new road connecting freeways in Melbourne's north and east, it has no route, no plans and cost estimates vary wildly.
* Victorian Heart Hospital. The state has put in $150 million, but the federal government has not committed any money.
* Western Suburbs Roads Package. Victoria is spending $1.8 billion upgrading roads west of Melbourne, it could do with a federal contribution.
* Melbourne to Brisbane rail. Victoria would welcome any new infrastructure money, especially in public transport.
