Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has lashed out at Treasurer Joe Hockey for telling anxious parents and pensioners to take a chill pill over the budget.
Mr Hockey was playing down the task facing the government to garner support from senators to get his budget passed.
"It's important that everyone has a bit of a chill pill here and understands that the budget is a long-term structural plan to address Labor's deficits and debt," Mr Hockey told Sky News on Friday.
But Mr Shorten said people are worried about the treasurer's budget and are sceptical about its "unfairness, broken promises and lies".
"Joe Hockey should stop telling Australians to take a chill pill because they don't like his budget," Mr Shorten told reporters.
He said it was arrogant, patronising and an out-of-touch remark and it was no wonder people have given the budget the "big thumbs down".
"Treasurer, you should take your budget and start again. It's a rotten, unfair budget," Mr Shorten said.
Mr Hockey is engaged in a series of discussions with key senators in an attempt to get support for the remaining measures of the budget.
He will meet with Palmer United Party's (PUP) Jacqui Lambie on Friday and the Liberal Democrats' David Leyonhjelm next week.
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