Prime Minister Tony Abbott has been warned to tone down the aggro in 2015 as the federal government prepares to sharpen its budget sales pitch amid woeful public support.
Senate crossbencher Nick Xenophon has a new year's resolution for Mr Abbott - be less negative and confrontational.
"He really is the author of his own misfortune, given that the budget contains so many broken promises," Senator Xenophon told ABC radio on Wednesday.
Mr Abbott has demanded the upper house act in the national interest and pass about $30 billion of outstanding budget measures including controversial welfare changes, a GP co-payment and an overhaul of higher education funding.
But it will be an uphill battle to convince Senate crossbenchers about the merits of the policies, which Labor and the Greens have rejected.
Senator Xenophon said Mr Abbott had used up much of his political capital and was using the same negative and confrontational approach in government as he did as opposition leader.
"Of course, we need to act in the national interest but I think the prime minister's interpretation of the national interest appears to be a very narrow and partisan one," he said.
Shadow Treasurer Chris Bowen's maintained the Senate has been acting in the national interest by blocking bad policy.
He's flagged that voters can expect Labor to outline its policies and alternative vision in the coming year.
Newly minted Assistant Treasurer Josh Frydenberg admits the government has to do a better job of explaining the reasons behind its policy decisions, such as how fluctuating terms of trade is hitting government coffers hard.
The recent budget update showed the terms of trade had come down at the fastest level since 1959.
Coal, iron ore, wheat and other resource export prices have dived.
"Business as usual is not an option," Mr Frydenberg told ABC Radio.
He said there was no denying the coalition was behind in the opinion polls but should not be written off.
"We are very conscious of the need to improve the message next year," he said.
"I understand that some of the reforms aren't popular but that doesn't mean they haven't been right."
Meanwhile, welfare groups hope the Senate crossbench stands its ground.
Australian Council of Social Service says welfare changes would lead to intolerable hardship for the poorest in the community.
"We want to see the government make a new start in 2015, by scrapping harmful legislation currently before parliament and working with us to develop a strategy to address growing poverty," chief executive Cassandra Goldie said.
Acting opposition leader Penny Wong said Mr Abbott should stop making demands and spend more time listening to people.
"Tony Abbott and his team haven't made the transition from opposition to government," she told reporters.
"They spend more time trying to attack their political opponents then doing the right thing."
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