Opposition Leader Tony Abbott says the Coalition's ability to do a deal with the independent MPs has not been compromised by the release of Treasury figures which reveal a multi-billion dollar shortfall in his costings.

Treasury has identified what it says is a hole of between $7 billion and almost $11 billion in the Coalition's costings.

Independent MPs Tony Windsor and Rob Oakeshott say they want an explanation from Mr Abbott about what Mr Windsor called the "$11 billion black hole".

But this morning the Opposition Leader stood by the Coalition's figures which show it would add $11.5 billion in savings to government coffers over the forward estimates.

And he said the Treasury analysis had confirmed that the Coalition would run higher surpluses than Labor.

"Certainly there is absolutely nothing in any of the to-ing an fro-ing over the last 12 hours or so that compromises our ability to continue to engage in good faith discussions with the independents about forming a stable and competent government for the next three years," he said.

"The bottom line is that there are two competing economic records here that are fundamental to these discussions.

"There's the Labor Party's record of waste and mismanagement ... versus our record of responsible economic management and of paying off debt."

Mr Windsor says the discrepancy raises issues of trust and he will await further explanations from the Coalition.

"It's not a game-breaker, but it places some question marks within my mind at least," he said.

"It's not so much about numbers as it is about what people went to the election on, and the trust that we can have in them.

"I think that's the main point rather than numbers being here and there."

Mr Oakeshott also wants an explanation and says the figures are concerning.

"That's a lot of money. It's more than what I've got in my wallet."

Treasurer Wayne Swan has seized on the numbers to attack the Coalition's economic record.

"I think this is either deliberate dishonesty or incompetence or both," he said.

During the election campaign the Coalition refused to hand over its policies for costing to the Treasury but eventually agreed to do so on request from the independents.