Tony Abbott's popularity is on the rise, with two post-budget polls placing him ahead of Bill Shorten as preferred prime minister.
After a year of lagging behind his Labor counterpart, a Fairfax-Ipsos poll puts Mr Abbott in front 44-39 per cent.
The latest Newspoll, published in The Australian, has Mr Abbott leading Mr Shorten for the first time in six months, 41-40.
The Abbott government has also drawn level with Labor in the Ipsos poll, at 50-50, a marked increase for the government since April's 46-54 result.
But the coalition is still behind in the Newspoll, dropping two points on a two-party preferred basis since April to trail Labor 47-53.
There's also better news for the government on the budget front, with Newspoll showing 30 per cent of voters believe the May budget will leave them worse off, well down on the 69 per cent who felt that way in last year's budget poll.
There is a fourfold increase in voters who believe the budget will improve their situation, up from five per cent in 2014 to 20 per cent.
More than half voters believe Labor couldn't have handed down a better 2015 budget for Australia's economic situation.
"It's pleasing that people have looked at the detail and seen, yes, we are paying for what we promised," Treasurer Joe Hockey told Nine Network on Monday.
Asked if the government would consider going to an early election, Mr Hockey did not rule it out.
"It's not my call," he said.
"I would say to you that we've got work to do, we've got things to build."
Asked if he would support a decision by Mr Abbott to go early, Mr Hockey said: "I support his promises ... I support the prime minister."
Mr Hockey also dismissed pre-budget speculation he could lose his job if the budget was not well received by voters.
"This is belt-way stuff."
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