How education and health money is spent will change in the May budget but the federal government insists it will keep a promise not to cut overall spending.
Education Minister Christopher Pyne says the government won't do anything it didn't take to the people in 2013 without heading to another election first.
He says Treasurer Joe Hockey's recent comments about ending the age of entitlement are responsibly creating a national debate about what kind of country Australia wants to be and can afford to be.
"That doesn't mean that in the coming budget we will be breaking election commitments," Mr Pyne told Sky News on Sunday.
It was entirely possible for the Abbott government to fund its election promises from within the current budget envelope, Mr Pyne said.
"There will obviously be a different mix of spending in health and education but that doesn't mean there will be overall cuts to either portfolio," he said.
There should be debate about issues like co-payments for doctor visits and the role of Medicare, but Mr Pyne repeated promises not be a "no surprises" administration.
"If there are any changes that we didn't warn the public about before the election then we will keep those for an opportunity down the track," he said.
"We'll go back to the Australian people in three years' time and give them an opportunity to cast judgment on it."
Shadow treasurer Chris Bowen said Labor would fight any attempt to change Medicare, after Health Minister Peter Dutton called for a debate about the introduction of a GP co-payment.
"These proposals for a $6 fee to visit a doctor would be a wrecking ball to the fabric of Medicare," he told ABC TV.
"When the Labor Party established Medicare 30 years ago we didn't do it for fun.
"We did it because there was a great social problem in Australia - 40 per cent of Australians could not afford the health care they needed."
Mr Bowen also called for Mr Hockey to release the commission of audit's interim report, after the treasurer last week suggested a change was needed to the retirement age.
Under measures introduced by the former Labor government, eligibility will rise to 67 by 2023.
"If the commission of audit recommends increasing the retirement age further then release the report, be up front with the Australian people about what the report says," Mr Bowen said.
Share
