Meanwhile, fellow crossbencher Bob Day said the 40 jobs a month plan was ''nuts and insane''. Clive Palmer. Credit:Andrew Meares The comments came as Mr Abbott said on Wednesday the government believed looking for work should be a ''full-time job'', while noting that the measures were ''still subject to consultation''. Warning that Australia's AAA credit rating could be at risk if Parliament did not pass the budget, Mr Hockey also called on Labor to help get the budget back to surplus, while ruling out a mini-budget this year. Mr Palmer said: ''The budget strategy has failed. They don't have the numbers and we need a strategy for growth.''

He said Mr Hockey's suggestion that the AAA credit rating was at risk was a lie. ''I've been in business for years. The budget savings amount to about $30-40 billion, our economy is about $1.5 trillion,'' he said. ''There were about $17 billion in measures from the mining tax; we wanted to keep about $10 billion worth. They could have got rid of it and implemented about $7 billion in savings, but they decided to link it all together, take their marbles and go home.'' Mr Hockey flagged a compromise on some of the budget measures, but not if it risked a return to surplus. ''From time to time there will always be changes. [But] the intent of the budget is to get back to surplus,'' he said.

''We have laid down the best program for reform, and I would ask our political opponents to honour their commitments to the Australian people … and support us getting back to surplus.'' On work for the dole, Senator Leyonhjelm said allowing young job seekers to negotiate salaries lower than the award and to strike individual contracts would be a better way of getting them into work. The government proposal would lead to those on the dole applying for every job in sight, regardless of their qualifications, he said. Loading Under the proposal, people under 30 will have to wait six months before qualifying for the dole, and those under 25 will only receive the lower-paying Youth Allowance.