(Transcript from World News Radio)
Welfare groups have slammed the budget, claiming the poorest have been left to do the heavy lifting.
But it's been welcomed by those representing big business.
Brian Thomson reports.
The government's message that we are all in it together has cut no ice with those representing welfare recipients.
St Vincent de Paul's John Falzon claiming the cuts to family payments, income support and pensions are four times the size of the temporary levy on high income earners.
"There's nothing human let alone humane about humiliating the people who are left out of the labour market or on its low paid fringes and there's nothing smart about making it unaffordable for someone to see a doctor."
The ACTU's Ged Kearney is in agreement.
"What this budget shows, is this government's vision, for this country is a harsher, less equal Australia."
Angelo Gavrielatos from the Teacher's Union is furious that there will be no additional funding in the Gonski outer years nor a loading for students with disabilities.
"This is a slap in the face for all parents, teachers and principals but more importantly the children of this country and their futures."
Nadine Flood from the CPSU, the union representing the 16-and-a-half-thousand public servants who will lose their jobs, describing the budget as an act of vandalism.
"Tony Abbott's budget is a wrecking ball that hits public sector jobs and services."
Charmaine Crowe from the Combined Pensioners and Superannuants Association says pensioners have taken a double hit following the decision to raise the pension age and link it to inflation not wage growth.
"The pension at the moment is currently sitting just above the poverty line. It is likely that the pension will fall well below the poverty line over time as a result of removing the wage indexation component."
Greens leader Christine Milne says the budget has been written for big business and will exacerbate the divide between the haves and have nots.
"Backward, divisive, cruel is all you can say about this budget and it reinforces the Greens message that Tony Abbott is governing for the big end of town."
The big end of town is certainly happy with the outcome.
Kate Carnell from the Chamber of Commerce and Industry welcoming the budget measures.
"This is the budget that we had to have. It's a budget that delivers short term pain for all of us, including short term pain for business but there is significant long term gain for Australia."
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