Experts not asked to assess Adani rail

The rail line proposed to connect Queensland's Adani coalmine to a port has not been assessed by Infrastructure Australia, a Senate committee has heard.

Officials from the independent body charged with assessing major projects were grilled on Monday over whether the Adani rail line was considered a "priority project".

"Not at this stage," Infrastructure Australia boss Philip Davies told the hearing.

IA has not conducted a cost-benefit analysis on the project nor has it received a submission from the Queensland government in relation to the rail line.

Adani wants a $900 million concessional loan from the government's Northern Australia Infrastructure fund to help build the rail line connecting the central Queensland mine and the Abbot Point port.

Mr Davies said neither the fund nor the Export Finance and Insurance Corporation had consulted IA over the project.

Federal Labor is opposed to the loan, saying taxpayers shouldn't be used as an "ATM for Indian coalmining companies".