Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has denied reports he scuttled plans to fund Sydney's proposed North West Metro because it will not win Labor votes.
The NSW opposition has criticised the state Labor government's funding submission to Infrastructure Australia (IA), which does not include the $12 billion North West Metro rail link.
It follows reports Mr Rudd told NSW earlier this year not to ask for commonwealth funding for the rail link because Labor had no marginal seats in the area.
Mr Rudd categorically denies the allegation.
"That is, can I say, comprehensively false," he told Fairfax.
"Secondly, it's a matter for state government for what they put forward to Infrastructure Australia. They can put forward anything they so chose."
Mr Rudd said IA was finalising lists of infrastructure requirements from each state and would determine a priority list with an interim report by year's end.
He flagged traffic congestion as a top concern in major cities and said IA was an independent decision-making body.
"We're up for all, well-thought through, well-documented proposals," he said.
