Bowen slams coalition money management

Shadow treasurer Chris Bowen has kicked off budget day in federal parliament with a scathing critique of the government's money management.

He said the government had railed about a debt and deficit disaster before coming into office, but since then debt had doubled and was continuing to rise.

"And now the poor old former treasurer (Peter Costello) has lamented on the 7.30 Report (ABC TV) that he's going to be dead before the government's debt is paid off under this trajectory," he said while moving a motion in parliament to condemn the government.

Government frontbencher Alex Hawke defended the government, talking up the "responsible" budget to be delivered by Treasurer Scott Morrison on Tuesday night.

"We won't be lectured by a Labor Party which has not produced a surplus in any government since 1989," he said.