The former Territory chief minister spent much of yesterday describing the offer of $5 million from the federal coffers as a ''grubby deal'' to help Labor win tomorrow's election.

Using the terms ''corruption'' and ''bribery'', Senator Humphries insisted the promise was made on the condition Labor was returned to office.

But both Chief Minister Katy Gallagher and federal Health Minister Tanya Plibersek have denied that is the case, saying Senator Humphries had got it wrong and was playing politics with an initiative designed to help children.

On Wednesday, federal Labor Minister Kate Lundy, standing in for Ms Plibersek, said the federal government would add the $5 million to the ACT government's $879,000 to help fund a dedicated paediatric stream in the Canberra Hospital's emergency department.

Senator Lundy said agreement had been reached between the federal and ACT governments on the matter.

There had been no agreement reached with the ACT Liberals.

Shadow Territory health minister Jeremy Hanson immediately demanded that federal money be made available regardless of which party won office in the ACT.

That night Senator Humphries raised the matter during Senate estimate hearings and then started yesterday on radio 2CC describing the federal government's pledge as ''utterly disgraceful''.

''That is the federal government saying we're going to use federal taxpayers' money to provide a service to children in the ACT, providing the ACT electorate returns a Labor government,'' he said. ''As if to say that the money of the federal taxpayer is only available to voters if they do certain things with their vote. I would say that is corruption.

''If I went to a sports club in Canberra and I said 'look, if you get your guys to vote for me in the next federal election I'll build you a new clubhouse', I'd be being corrupt.

''I'd be up before a corruption inquiry for bribing electors. Isn't that what they're doing here?''

Ms Gallagher described the argument as pathetic and said Senator Lundy had not precluded the federal government reaching a deal with the ACT Liberals. ''I cannot believe this from a party with no emergency department policy,'' the Chief Minister said. ''I came out with an idea, a policy I have been negotiating with the Commonwealth for months. That they then say 'that's not fair, we want that too' - it's just pathetic.''

Ms Gallagher said she had been talking with Ms Plibersek about Canberra's emergency department for months and the federal government was happy to look at her proposal.

She said Mr Hanson could have also approached Ms Plibersek during his policy development phase, but he did not do that.

Late yesterday Ms Plibersek said if the ACT Liberals win government and come up with a proposal she would be happy to talk to them. ''We deal with Liberal and National governments all the time. We invest in health systems right across Australia,'' Ms Plibersek said. ''I think that the ACT Liberals need to really think twice about describing investments in better care for kids in the ACT as 'despicable'.

''ACT Labor have made a commitment to continue funding for the Commonwealth capital grant to deliver a paediatric emergency department. This fits with the Commonwealth's health reform priorities. If the ACT Liberals are elected they will have to negotiate with the Commonwealth and confirm whether they are prepared to commit to a funding agreement.''

Last night Senator Humphries said he wanted the matter investigated.

''A promise to fund a paediatric care unit on the proviso of a Labor government being elected in the ACT is blatant bribery,'' he said. ''This is a grubby little deal.''