Forgo surplus for services funding: Wilkie

The Tasmanian government should shelve plans for a budget surplus and instead focus on boosting health and education funding, Hobart-based federal Independent MP Andrew Wilkie says.

The island state's Liberal administration has confirmed Thursday's budget will include a yet-to-quantified surplus along with significant spending to help the vulnerable, but even before seeing the document Mr Wilkie is critical.

"Getting the budget back in balance is important but not when health and education - the essential services that the public expect the government to fund - remain chronically under resourced," he said on Wednesday.