What's tipped for the federal budget

WHAT TO LOOK OUT FOR IN THE FEDERAL BUDGET

TAX CUTS

* High-income earners will get reprieve with phasing out of two per cent budget deficit levy.

* Timetable for company tax rate.

* Possible change in income tax thresholds for people earning above $37,000 and below $180,000.

SUPERANNUATION

* Those earning more than $180,000 will be hit by 30 per cent tax (up from 15pc) on their super contributions.

* The government may also lower the $30,000 cap on contributions that can be made to super funds every year at the concessional tax rate of 15 cents in the dollar.

WELFARE

* New laws to crack down on jobless welfare recipients "doctor shopping" to side-step mandatory job-seeking requirements by claiming they have depression or excuses such as alcohol consumption.

INFRASTRUCTURE:

* Incentives for state governments to ensure public transport projects maximise opportunities for private sector and unlock more land for housing.

* Funding for the upgrade of the Adelaide-to-Tarcoola rail line. About $300m.

PUBLIC SERVICE

* Treasurer Scott Morrison has put the public service on notice warning governments have to live within their means like households and business, prompting fears of more job losses.

HEALTH

* $5 billion over four years for a subsidised public dental scheme.

* $2.9 billion extra for public hospitals, stemming from COAG agreement.

* $21 million in health care for chronic conditions.

* More than 1000 new drugs on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.

SCHOOLS

* The coalition is firm on plans to tie school funding to inflation increases, refusing to commit to Gonski hikes.

* There have been suggestions the funding indexation rate could be lifted as a sweetener.

HIGHER EDUCATION

* Education Minister Simon Birmingham says he'll have more to say soon on after deferring until next year a plan for a 20 per cent cut in federal funding to universities and allowing them to raise student fees.

IMMIGRATION

* Millions of dollars allocated for a failed refugee resettlement deal with Cambodia might be redeployed.

* A recalculation of what it costs to run the soon-to-be-closed Manus Island detention centre in Papua New Guinea.

CLIMATE

* Cost of keeping renewable energy agency ARENA and green bank, the CEFC.

DEFENCE

* $1 billion for military role in Afghanistan, Iraq and Middle East, plus $1.4 billion in new defence spending.

* $230 million for cyber security.

AGED CARE

* Extra 17,400 aged care places.

SOCIAL ISSUES

* $300m action plan on ice addiction

* $100m campaign on domestic violence