Treasury to take on unreasonable estimates

New Treasury chief John Fraser says he will speak up loudly if Treasurer Joe Hockey uses unreasonable projections in the upcoming intergenerational report.

Mr Hockey is due to release the five-yearly review in the coming weeks.

Mr Fraser told a Senate estimates hearing on Wednesday that he had met Mr Hockey twice to discuss the report since taking up his new role six weeks ago.

"The story of the IGR will be one of ageing and the implications of that for our society," Mr Fraser said.

He says it isn't much different than the implications for a number of other countries around the world that have a similar ageing problem.

The report was the property of the treasurer, who decided the parameters used for the purposes of population, participation and productivity, he said.

"My role is to speak up and speak up loudly if I think things are unreasonable," Mr Fraser said.

"These are 40-year projections. I won't be here to see if they are right or wrong."

Treasury has spent $380,000 hiring a research firm to support the upcoming intergenerational report.

Hall and Partners has undertaken a number of focus groups to gauge how the community envisages the future, Treasury's general manager for publications and communications divisions Luke Hickey told the hearing.

Mr Hockey said last week the release of the report will coincide with a "very deep engagement program" with the community.