Battle of the bitumen: Andrews is Shorten's not-so-secret weapon

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews will be a key weapon for Labor in May's federal election, as the state emerges as a major battleground in the campaign.

Labor believes it can take up to five Victorian seats from the Liberals in May’s election – enough to win government – using the momentum of Mr Andrews' triumph in November’s state election.

In an early taste of Labor's campaign strategy, federal leader Bill Shorten appeared with the Premier and fellow party heavyweights Anthony Albanese and Mark Dreyfus in outer Melbourne on Sunday, promising $850 million in new funding for congested roads in the city's outer south-east.

Labor's move, stepping up its infrastructure fight against the Coalition in Victoria, came as the Liberals continued to celebrate their victory on Saturday night in the NSW state election.

But a poor performance for the Nationals in Saturday's poll suggests there may be pain in store for the junior Coalition partner when the nation votes in May.

Labor's announcement on Sunday was carefully planned between state and federal Labor, with Mr Shorten and his colleagues determined to harness the success of the Victorian Labor government in building a brand around its delivery of transport projects.

Mr Shorten's move comes days after Prime Minister Scott Morrison pledged $70 million of federal money to upgrade Racecourse Road in Pakenham and $2 billion to build a fast rail link between Melbourne and Geelong.

Racecourse Road runs through the La Trobe electorate, held by Liberal MP Jason Wood on a margin of about 1.5 per cent, while Geelong is the largest urban centre of Corangamite, where Liberal Sarah Henderson is defending a margin of just 0.03 per cent.

Several other Liberal-held Victorian seats, including Deakin, Chisholm, Dunkley, Aston and Casey, are all also considered "in play" for Labor, which is also beginning to put resources into the long-time conservative bastion of Higgins.

Labor made it clear on Sunday that it believes its adversary is vulnerable on its infrastructure delivery record in the nation’s second-most populous state, with ALP infrastructure spokesman Mr Albanese joining Mr Shorten and Mr Andrews in Cranbourne North to accuse the Coalition of “six years of lost opportunity".

Mr Shorten said Melbourne’s south-east was desperately overdue for infrastructure spending.

“This is the fastest-growing part of Australia at the moment but it hasn’t been getting its fair share from Canberra,” he said.

“It’s important that when we encourage people to move out to the outer suburbs, when we want them to have their dream of their own home, that we back it up with the taxes people pay to re-invest in their communities and on their roads out here.”

As Mr Shorten sought to up the ante on roads funding on Sunday, Mr Andrews reached back to his "getting things done" campaign rhetoric in his efforts to boost his federal leader's chances.

The Premier said Sunday’s announcement offered the chance “to celebrate a proper partnership to get things done".

Labor is promising to help the state government pay for extra lanes and new bridges on Koo Wee Rup Road in Pakenham South and Lathams Road in Seaford.

The funding package will also pay for extra lanes on Hallam North Road in Endeavour Hills and Narre Warren-Cranbourne Road in Cranbourne, Pound Road West and Remington Drive in Dandenong South and a new bridge over the Cranbourne train line.

Golf Links and Grant Roads in Langwarrin South will be upgraded and Labor is also matching Mr Morrison's Racecourse Road commitment and upgrading the six-way roundabout at Golf Links, Grant, Warrandyte and Baxter-Tooradin roads.

There was also the promise of $65 million towards the upgrade and duplication of Thompsons Road to complement the removal of the level Merinda Park station level crossing.

Labor has also promised $2 million, matched by the state government, for an extra 50 car spaces at the Officer train station park 'n ride.