Scott Morrison has insisted the federal budget delivers for all Australians as Labor prepares to promise more for women, seniors and people over 35.
The prime minister is defending the government's big-spending economic blueprint from claims it ignores key groups of people under immense pressure during the recession.
Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese will on Thursday deliver his budget reply speech, which is expected to make announcements about child care, aged care and women's workforce participation.
"Under this government we've had a pink recession but a plan for a blue recovery," he told Labor colleagues in the annual women's budget reply.
Senior Morrison government ministers hit the airwaves to deny women were excluded when Treasurer Josh Frydenberg handed down the nation's books on Tuesday.
"To suggest the budget doesn't focus on women, I think, is wrong," Social Services Minister Anne Ruston told the ABC.
She pointed to $240 million in specific initiatives, although critics say the sum is dwarfed by billions in commitments for male-dominated industries.
In Question Time, the prime minister said fast-tracked income tax cuts were a prime example of a budget measure benefiting millions.
"The tax system does not discriminate based on your gender, it doesn't discriminate based on your age," Mr Morrison said.
The coalition is also fighting criticism of a new scheme to hand businesses subsidies to hire unemployed people aged under 35.
Labor argues the payments of up to $200 a week for each employee could discourage bosses from hiring older job seekers.
Unions are concerned older workers could be sacked and replaced with subsidised staff.
The opposition has also criticised the program for excluding 928,000 unemployed people aged over 35.
Mr Morrison said the budget was about bringing together all Australians in the national interest.
"There will be voices that will try and set young people against older people, women against men, jobs in one sector versus jobs in another sector," he told reporters in Canberra.
"They are the voices of division that will undermine the future economic prosperity of all Australians."
The government is adamant the requirement for a company's headcount and wage bill to rise will safeguard the $4 billion scheme.
Finance Minister Mathias Cormann will retire at the end of the month after co-authoring his seventh and final budget.
"I feel satisfied that the budget that we delivered on Tuesday is a very credible, very strong plan to get Australia out of this COVID recession and to get Australians back into work," he said.
Mr Albanese has committed to spending $500 million on public housing maintenance as Labor ramps up its policy pitch with an election likely in the second half of next year.
