His media blitz stands in stark contrast to the low-key approach of Mr Hockey, who has given just four interviews in the past week. Social Services Minister Scott Morrison is leading the government's budget sell. Credit:Louie Douvis Mr Hockey's political allies defended his low key approach on Thursday, pointing out he gave a similar number of interviews last year and that he has been locked away in the federal Treasury finalising a make-or-break second budget for the Abbott government. They also said it was deliberate political strategy to give ministers licence to get out and explain measures contained in their portfolios. After the budget is handed down, one said, Mr Hockey will be "everywhere". But the marked rise in the Social Services Minister's public presence came as fresh questions emerged on Thursday about Mr Hockey's future in the portfolio and amid suggestions Mr Morrison could replace him.

But Prime Minister Tony Abbott said that he had reassured Mr Hockey he will remain in the job until the next election, regardless of the reaction to next week's budget. Buchholz "I think some people just make things up," Mr Abbott said, adding that the budget was a "team effort". Political insiders say the addition of Mr Morrison and Assistant Treasurer Josh Frydenberg to the expenditure review committee (ERC), as well as new secretaries in the departments of Prime Minister and Cabinet, Treasury and Finance has strengthened the ERC, which has been holding regular working dinners and meeting for three to six hours, two or three times a week. Despite the Prime Minister's denial, Liberal MPs both in and outside of the cabinet confirmed the party room was increasingly nervous about Mr Hockey's ability to sell the second budget.

One cabinet minister expressed amazement at the leak against Mr Hockey, wondering: "Are they trying to turn Joe into a lame duck before he gets up to speak on budget night?" "It's critical that people feel confident in the government's management of the economy and that's inextricably linked to the Treasurer. If you undermine the credibility of the messenger then the confidence in the message is also undermined." The pensions overhaul proposed by Mr Morrison will mean 170,000 low to middle-income pensioners will be $30 a fortnight better off on average, though about 91,000 wealthier retirees will lose access to the part-pension and about 236,000 will see their payment decrease. Last year's budget plan to index pensions to CPI, rather than average male weekly earnings - driving down the value of 4 million pensions over time - has been dumped. The asset threshold for a retired couple, for example, would be reduced from $1.15 million to $823,000 for a retired couple, excluding the value of the family home.

Mr Morrison said the measure would save $2.4 billion over two years, would not say how much it would save over 10 years but conceded it would be less than the $23 billion over 10 years expected from pension indexation changes. Cabinet met on Thursday to lock in key budget measures, while the ERC is due to meet again on Sunday and a final cabinet meeting will be held on Monday before the budget is handed down. Follow us on Twitter