A new hospital, light-rail system and convention centre are at the top of an ACT pork-barrelling wish list Katy Gallagher has sent to Kevin Rudd and Tony Abbott.
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Canberra's reputation as a Labor-leaning town traditionally curtails the promises the federal parties make to ACT voters at election time. But the Chief Minister has also made several suggestions that would appeal to residents of the marginal NSW electorate of Eden-Monaro.
These include upgrading the Barton and Kings highways and funding the expansion of services at Queanbeyan Hospital.
In a letter to the Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition, Ms Gallagher outlined 11 projects she hoped they would give serious and constructive consideration to in the lead-up to the September 7 poll.
Ms Gallagher said Canberra was too often overlooked when political parties made election promises.
''It is important that both of the major party leaders consider Canberra in their suite of election commitments and funding announcements over the coming campaign,'' she said.
''Canberra, being the national capital and the seat of Parliament, should be considered in the same manner that other electorates are around the country and I encourage the Prime Minister and Opposition Leader to take the needs of the ACT seriously and contribute funding to some crucial infrastructure projects as we move into our second century as a city.''
In the letter, Ms Gallagher suggested the next federal government contribute funding towards the planned sub-acute hospital at the University of Canberra and the Civic to Gungahlin tramway.
She also renewed the ACT government's push for federal funding to build an international-standard convention centre to be known as the ''Australia Forum'' and support for plans to turn Canberra airport into a major transit hub with international flights.
Labor holds the seat of Canberra by a margin of 9.2 per cent and Fraser by 14.2 per cent. But it has a shaky hold on Eden-Monaro.
The electorate, stretching from Queanbeyan to the south coast, the snowfields and the Victorian border, has the reputation of being a litmus test for the outcome of every federal election for the past 40 years.
It has earned the status of the ''bellwether'' seat because it has been won by the incoming government at each poll since 1972.
It is now held on a margin of 4.2 per cent by Labor's Mike Kelly, a former army officer who is Minister for Defence Materiel.
He has been virtually promised promotion to the Defence portfolio if Labor wins the election.
But given Labor's polling, Eden-Monaro may lose its ''weathervane'' status on September 7.
Under this scenario, the Coalition would sweep into office across Australia but Dr Kelly might retain the seat because of the profile he has established over six years as the local member.
His Liberal opponent, Peter Hendy, is a veteran of federal politics, having served as chief of staff for Peter Reith in the Howard government.
Mr Hendy says Eden-Monaro is one of the Coalition's key target seats in NSW, with a lot of resources put into the campaign.
