Treasurer Scott Morrison has launched a tirade over Labor's tax policy, saying it will put a handbrake on the economy.
The 12-minute rant came as new figures pointed to the next set of official economic growth figures again showing a mix of strong exports but weak domestic demand.
They follow the national accounts for the March quarter which showed economic growth pounding along at its fastest pace in over three years at 3.1 per cent, largely as a result of exports.
Mr Morrison insisted economic growth did not happen by accident.
"You have to have the settings right. You have to have the policy environment right and you have to be able to stick to that plan to drive economic growth," he told reporters in Sydney.
Labor's plan was to tax more.
"Their plan is to put on the brakes, put on the tax brake and put it into a handbrake turn with higher toxic taxes on the Australian economy," the treasurer said.
He described it as a "war on growth" with higher taxes on small business, investment, income, housing and electricity.
Former Labor NSW premier and now political commentator Kristina Keneally felt the treasurer was predicting Armageddon.
"By the time this ScoMo media conference is over, he'll be predicting ALP will bring locusts, frogs, rivers of blood & loss of firstborn children," she tweeted.
Shadow treasurer Chris Bowen said instead of lying about Labor's policies the treasurer should tell the truth about his own policies.
"Actually get his own policy house in order," Mr Bowen told reporters in Sydney amid reports of dissent among Liberal backbenchers over the government's planned changes to superannuation.
Thursday's new economic figures for April showed a further improvement in Australia's international trade position in April as exports continued to outpace imports.
At $1.6 billion it was the smallest monthly trade deficit in over a year.
National Australia Bank senior economist David de Garis saw this as a pointer to yet another strong export contribution to GDP growth for the June quarter.
However, retail spending was limp in April, growing by just 0.2 per cent and half the rate of the previous month.
April spending coincided with fragile consumer confidence in the run-up to Mr Morrison's first budget on May 3.
Su-Lin Ong, head of strategy at RBC Capital Markets, said there was also a lift in fuel prices in the month, along with a patchy labour market, stagnant wages growth and high levels of household debt.
The June quarter national accounts are due on September 7.
