Federal treasurer Joe Hockey (AAP) Federal treasurer Joe Hockey (AAP)

A roadmap to balancing the budget has recommended $70 billion a year in savings through a $15 GP visit charge, limiting access to the pension and slashing 15,000 public servants.

The national commission of audit, which released its report on Thursday, also put on the table the sale of Australia Post and allowing states to access income tax to fund schools and hospitals.

The audit recommends lifting the pension age to 70 by 2053, including the family home in the pension assets test and increasing the superannuation preservation age to 62 by 2027.

It also wants the rollout of the national disability insurance scheme slowed, high-earners forced to take out private health insurance and co-payments of $15 for doctor visits.

The government's paid parental leave scheme should be capped at average annual earnings, currently $57,460, rather than the government's revised cap of $100,000.

Treasurer Joe Hockey, who will hand down his first budget on May 13, cautiously welcomed the report saying some of its findings would be adopted, while others were "highly contentious".

He would not commit to the audit's aim of $70 billion a year in budget savings by 2023/24, but warned tough decisions would be needed to pay off debt and return to surplus within the decade.

"We can't keep heading into a cyclone and expect everything will be okay," Mr Hockey said.

Labor leader Bill Shorten immediately labelled the audit report a "blueprint for broken promises".

Mr Hockey said the government would keep its election promises, but warned some may not go ahead this term due to the deterioration in the budget.

"Some of the initiatives we have to roll out will occur after the next election so we can get a new mandate," he said.

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