THOUSANDS have marched across the nation to protest against the Abbott Government’s budget cuts.

In Melbourne, reportedly the largest rally in the country, union members joined the elderly and their families at the Bust the Budget rally on St Kilda Road opposite the Arts Centre.

Several of the government’s budget measures, including the $7 GP visit co-payment, changes to jobless benefits, a higher pension age and deregulation of university fees have been criticised as unfair.

The crowd — estimated to be around 12,000-strong — then marched to Parliament House on Spring Street.

In Sydney’s CBD, more than 2000 people turned out at Sydney Town Hall to voice their anger. .

Rally-goers, waving trade union flags and budget-protest placards, converged on St Andrews Square on George Street.

Peppa Pig, you'd have to think is one of the more unlikely political mascots, here at #bustthebudget rally again pic.twitter.com/9evWraEBfj — mat_dunckley (@mat_dunckley) July 6, 2014

Greens leader Christine Milne told reporters on the scene the protest was borne out of frustration against planned federal cuts to health and welfare spending.

“(Tony Abbott) is making life harder for people,” Ms Milne said. “He’s making life a misery for people who are unemployed and searching for work.

The Greens leader said incoming senators need to listen to the community and block budget measures.

“You need to join with us in busting the budget,” she said.

“Tony Abbott is a crash or crash through prime minister. We have to make sure that in response to this budget we make sure he crashes.” Ms Milne said the Greens will not support the GP co-payment scheme.

Treasurer Joe Hockey has said the criticism has “drifted to the 1970s class warfare lines” and his budget was about equal opportunity, not equality of outcome.

“Our duty is to help Australians to get to the starting line, while accepting that some will run faster than others,” he said in June.

Unions NSW secretary Mark Lennon said there had not been such continuous outrage against a Budget in 30 years.

“People are going to come here to Town Hall and make it very loud and clear what they think about what happened on May 13,” he said.

He urged incoming senators to vote the budget down.

In Adelaide, thousands marched from Victoria Square to Parliament House, calling for South Australian members of the Senate to oppose the Budget bills.

“We had a very broad cross section of the community,” SA Unions state secretary Joe Szakacs told AAP.

“Pensioners, young people, students, working people, people with disabilities, families ... because we know that this budget attacks everybody and no-one is safe.

“Collectively now, those people are standing up.”

“Many I spoke to also said this was the first time they’ve been to a political rally — saying they feel angry, they feel scared, and it’s time to fight back.”

A few hundred people converged on the lawns in front of Parliament House in Canberra as part of the nationwide protests.

A large puppet figure of Tony Abbott, with smoke emitting from his trousers, was greeted by protesters chanting “One term Tony” and “Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire”.