Scott Morrison has taken aim at critics of the government's superannuation changes, accusing them of wanting to saddle Australia's children with more debt.
The treasurer will meet with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and cabinet colleagues in Canberra on Tuesday, as new senators start three days of "school" ahead of the 45th parliament opening next week.
Mr Morrison faces pressure from coalition MPs and some crossbenchers to ease back on his plan to limit lifetime non-concessional superannuation contributions to $500,000.
However, capping at $1.6 million the amount someone can transfer into a tax-free retirement account appears to be a less controversial move.
Asked whether the $500,000 threshold could be lifted to $750,000 or be kept the same but made prospective, Mr Morrison said those advocating such a shift needed to find up to an extra $500 million in budget savings to make up the difference.
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"I would find it pretty hard to look my kids in the eye and tell them they have got to saddle a higher debt because someone who had a very big income wanted to pay less tax," Mr Morrison told 2GB radio on Monday.
Cabinet may need to consider some amendments in any case to get Labor on board.
But Labor frontbencher Katy Gallagher, whose party advocated trimming back high-end super concessions during the election campaign, said the opposition was open to negotiation.
"We've got a treasurer racing around trying to make compromises ... (but) in the interests of good superannuation reform the government needs to bring forward the package of legislation and talk to the Labor Party about it," Senator Gallagher told reporters in Canberra.
The issue is likely to get an airing when the Labor caucus and coalition joint parties meet on August 29.
The government is also seeking Labor's support for $6 billion in budget savings, however welfare groups say one of those measures - axing the carbon tax compensation - will disadvantage the poor.
Mr Turnbull visited regional Victoria on Monday where he unveiled draft laws, to be introduced to parliament on August 31, to protect the rights of volunteer emergency service workers, following a bargaining dispute involving firefighters.
"There is a very deep, dangerous, long-term risk to the safety of Victoria," Mr Turnbull told volunteers.
Labor frontbencher Andrew Leigh says the issue should be left to the state government and Mr Turnbull has intervened "to distract from his other economic problems".
The enterprise agreement is before the Victorian Supreme Court and can't be voted on by firefighters until the legal action is resolved.
