The prime minister and treasurer have set a land speed record for falling out with each other, former Labor treasurer Wayne Swan says.
"We have got an unprecedented situation at the moment in which the treasurer and Treasury have been sidelined from the government's policy process," Mr Swan told reporters on Monday.
He was responding to a decision by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to give his department head Martin Parkinson, a former Treasury secretary, oversight of the government's tax policy development.
Coalition MPs were out in force on Monday morning defending the time frame for the development process.
Liberal Andrew Nikolic insisted a strategic process was underway.
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"The last thing we should be doing is trotting out a new announcement for every six hours of the media cycle," he told reporters.
Colleague Ewen Jones said policies would be announced in good time.
"What we can't do is policy on the run," the Queensland MP said.
Government backbencher Craig Kelly said reform was an "ongoing process".
"Whatever reforms that the treasurer announces this week I'm sure there will be more in the weeks to come," he told reporters.
