Finance Minister Penny Wong is tight-lipped on speculation the car manufacturing industry may be set for more taxpayer subsidies.
Senator Wong was quizzed about $500 million of unallocated money in Labor's mini-budget in Canberra on Friday and whether it could be earmarked for the struggling car industry.
Senator Wong said it was a normal process to have a contingency reserve for decisions taken but not yet announced.
"It's standard budget practice," she said.
The federal government was in talks with the car industry, Senator Wong said.
She reaffirmed the government's commitment to car manufacturing in Australia and pointed out the coalition's pledge to wipe out $500 million in taxpayer assistance already allocated.
"If there is to be any further arrangement that is to be negotiated, that would be offset," Senator Wong said.
There have been media reports Holden may receive another $200 million from the federal government, on top of the $275 million package negotiated last year to keep the company going until at least 2022.
Last week about 400 Holden workers in Adelaide took voluntary redundancies, cutting the company's SA workforce to 1700.
Ford announced in May it would stop making cars in Australia from October 2016, and close its plants in Broadmeadows and Geelong.
