WA premier seeks $1.5b in federal funding

The West Australian premier has detailed a $1.5 billion commonwealth funding wish list, mostly for rail projects.

While former prime minister Tony Abbott ruled out contributing to urban rail, his successor Malcolm Turnbull has put that back on the table.

Colin Barnett said on Thursday that he wants $500 million for the MAX light rail project and the same again for a rail link to the airport, and he's "not going to be shy" about it.

"That would be a good start," Mr Barnett told reporters.

"That's over time - the light rail project is probably still two or three years away before we even start it, the airport project is getting underway next year.

"I think those projects should get funding, as are other big projects in other capital cities.

He said WA wasn't asking for anything out of the ordinary, considering the funding flowing into Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.

Mr Barnett also said he expected the federal government would again compensate WA for its historically low share of the GST carve-up.

A precedent was set last financial year with a $499 million cash injection, he said, and he's seeking the same again.

"I would expect the commonwealth to contribute $500 million this year."

He appeared encouraged that the federal treasurer had labelled the state's share `absurd'.

"At least Scott Morrison has recognised how ludicrous it is that Western Australia gets back 30 cents in the dollar," Mr Barnett said.

"You cannot sustain this state under that scenario when we've had 400,000 more people in this state over the last seven years."

Opposition infrastructure spokeswoman Rita Saffioti said Mr Barnett had previously demanded a dramatic change to the GST distribution formula and was now just grabbing "$100 million here, $100 million there".

"They seem to be happy to get whatever they can," Ms Saffioti said.

"Now their mates are in Canberra, they're not going hard enough."

She also questioned what was happening with the $925 million federal contribution to the contentious Perth Freight Link project.

"If WA doesn't go ahead with stage two, nor it should do, what will happen to the federal contribution?

"They're all over the place."