Shadow Treasurer Jim Chalmers calls for early release of federal budget update

In his speech provided to The Examiner, Dr Chalmers will call for Treasurer Josh Frydenberg to bring forward the release of the Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook in a bid to boost spending and increase productivity.

"An earlier budget update would give the government a circuit-breaking opportunity to come up with an economic plan which has been conspicuously absent so far," Dr Chalmers said.

"The government should bring forward infrastructure spending, including upgrading the Bass Highway ... which would provide both an immediate and enduring economic benefit to the local economy here in Tasmania.

"Reviewing and responsibly increasing Newstart would provide a significant economic stimulus by providing millions of dollars in extra retail sales and also support state government budgets through increased GST revenue."

Dr Chalmers said bringing forward the mid-year outlook would give the government the opportunity to correct some of the core forecasts of the 2019 budget.

"This includes their forecasts for wages growth which they've stuffed up in every budget and budget update since they came into office," Dr Chalmers said.

"It will also allow them to update their forecasts for iron ore prices, profits, and their assumptions for the dollar.

"The surplus should not be on the line but the government's credibility is."

Dr Chalmers said the Coalition's claims it was good at economic management were like Gordon Ramsey claiming to be good at anger management.

"Or former Tasmanian Liberal candidate Jessica Whelan claiming to be good at social media management," Dr Chalmers said.

"Here in Tasmania, there are fewer people in jobs than there were a year ago - the worst performance of all the states.

"This is what the Australian economy looks like at the start of the Liberals' third term."

Tasmanian Liberal senator Jonathon Duniam said unless Dr Chalmers was attending the conference to announce Labor was ditching its $387 higher tax policy, he may as well follow Labor leader Anthony Albanese and not attend at all.

"It's the height of arrogance and ignorance for Jim Chalmers to show up at the conference in Burnie, where his high tax agenda will hurt thousands of people in the surrounding electorate of Braddon," Senator Duniam said.

"Labor's high tax agenda will hurt tens of thousands of Tasmanians, including around 3700 retirees in Braddon with its retiree tax and more than 3500 homeowners in Braddon with its housing tax.

"The question now is: does Jim Chalmers still stand by his comments that he was 'pleased' and 'proud' of Labor's tax changes?"