Morrison defends budget's poor polling

Only seven per cent of voters believe they will be better off under the budget but Treasurer Scott Morrison says the government is taking people with it.

Treasurer Scott Morrison

Treasurer Scott Morrison insists the budget is not about polls. (AAP)

Treasurer Scott Morrison insists the budget is not about polls after only seven per cent of voters thought they would be better off under it.

A Seven-ReachTel poll - the first survey to ask voters about the budget - found 33 per cent of people believed they would be worse off, while 59 per cent said "about the same".

Speaking after a tour of a western Sydney chocolate and coffee shop to promote the government's tax cuts for businesses that turn over up to $10 million, Mr Morrison said he believed people were with the government on the budget.

"The budget isn't about polls," Mr Morrison told reporters in Sydney on Saturday.

"The budget is about laying out a national economic plan to ensure the economy can transition from the mining investment phase of the mining boom through to a more diversified economy."

Mr Morrison said Labor's attacks over tax cut were disappointing and amounted to locking out small businesses.

Labor and the Coalition are neck and neck in two-party preferred terms as Australia waits for Malcolm Turnbull to visit Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove to seek a July 2 election.

Mr Morrison used the government's mantra of "jobs and growth" to point out the differences between the major parties.

"What you got from me this week was a national plan for jobs and growth," he said.

"What you got from the opposition was all politics and no plan and I think that gives a very stark choice to the Australian people."

Mr Morrison also went on the counter-attack over the Youth Jobs PaTH program which offers internships for young people that will add to their dole payment.

Unions have slammed the scheme, arguing it will create "$4-an-hour jobs".

"(Labor) should not follow the lead of their union mates and they should be listening to what's happening in the community and on the ground," Mr Morrison said.

Labor needs a national swing of 4.3 per cent to unseat the government while the coalition can afford to lose 14 seats on a swing of three per cent.


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Source: AAP


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