Federal Labor is demanding Treasurer Joe Hockey make public the specific details surrounding his decision to provide the Reserve Bank with a one-off grant of $8.8 billion.
The funding aims to go some way to restoring the central bank's reserve fund which has been run down by dividend payments to government and foreign exchange losses.
Mr Hockey has blamed previous Labor governments for his decision, which came after a request from RBA governor Glenn Stevens.
Shadow treasurer Chris Bowen said neither he nor Wayne Swan had received such a request during their time as treasurer.
Labor governments were always open to receiving constructive approaches from the bank's governor, he said.
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Mr Bowen suggested Mr Hockey's reasons for the making the grant undermine confidence in the Australian economy.
The treasurer insists the funding is not a bailout.
Mr Bowen said Mr Hockey must immediately detail the exact advice from the Reserve Bank of Australia, whether a specific request for the funds was made, how it was initiated, and any related advice from Treasury.
