We are defending credit rating: Cormann

Finance Minister Mathias Cormann says the government is doing all it can to keep the economy's AAA rating.

Mathias Cormann says the government is doing all it can to keep the economy's AAA credit rating. (AAP)

Finance Minister Mathias Cormann insists the government is doing everything it can to maintain Australia's triple-A credit rating.

Financial markets are still waiting for a response to the May 3 budget from global rating agency Standard & Poor's.

Rival agency Fitch and Moody's commented within days.

Strategists at TD Securities don't think this means Australia is about to lose its triple-A rating from S&P during the election campaign.

But they are concerned that with opinion polls failing to identify a clear winner there are risks of another three years of a structural "reform-free zone".

With just under four weeks to polling day, the latest Newspoll shows the coalition and Labor level-pegging at 50-50 after preferences.

Senator Cormann says the government will continue to do everything it can to ensure that Australia is on the strongest possible economic and fiscal foundation for the future.

"That includes, obviously, a focus on making sure Australia maintains its triple A-credit rating," Senator Cormann told reporters in Canberra on Monday.

"The problem is we are still dealing with Labor's mess from their last period in government."

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten believes voters are having a hard look at the Liberal Party.

"Their case for re-election is they've done nothing for a thousand days and they'd like another thousand days to carry out cuts and meanness to the Australian way of life," he told reporters in Melbourne.

All Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull was proposing for his economic plan was some "extravagant tax giveaway to the big end of town".

Treasurer Scott Morrison argues Labor has no economic plan at all, other than promising to deliver an economic statement 100 days after the election.

"Labor is making promises with money that simply isn't there," he told reporters in Sydney where he released a mid-campaign report of events.

Earlier, speaking to Sydney's 2GB radio on Monday, Mr Morrison dismissed suggestions internal Liberal polling showed Australians weren't listening to the government's tax plan.

"I don't agree with that assessment ... because everywhere I go those small businesses understand and saying thank you for backing us," he said.