Joe Hockey is battling in his job as federal treasurer and needs to start again on the budget after his latest comments about the fuel tax, Opposition leader Bill Shorten says.
Mr Shorten said he was "amazed" to hear the treasurer say that poor people would not feel the impact of the return of twice-yearly hikes in the fuel excise, because they either did not have a car or did not drive far.
The Labor leader said Mr Hockey's comment was an attempt to justify putting a new tax on petrol and breaking an election promise.
"I don't know what planet Joe Hockey lives on, but it's not the real world," he told Fairfax radio in Perth on Thursday.
He said it was a rushed and unfair budget without consultation with people in key industries.
"It's clear that this budget has gone too far," he said.
"It's too unfair, it's hard for kids to go to university, a GP tax for sick people, ... a petrol tax (has) gone up, schools and hospital funding is going to be a big impact in the west," Mr Shorten said.
"I think they should go back and start again.
"I think he's battling as the treasurer."
Mr Shorten said the treasurer should also have spoken to senators before now, instead of being on "bended knee" asking the Palmer United Party for support.
"It's almost like Clive Palmer's convening the cabinet of Australia," he said.
Mr Shorten said Labor would drop the paid parental leave scheme, which he said was driving seniors "crazy".
He also expressed disappointment that unemployment figures were going up.
"I hope it's a glitch ... but I think unemployment for men between 30 and 60 is a real problem in particular," Mr Shorten said.
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