Cabinet minister Christopher Pyne has dismissed a slump in the Coalition's support in the polls, saying it reflects "short-term views" about the Government.

Newspoll shows support for the Coalition declining from a primary vote of 46 per cent at the last federal election to 38 per cent on the weekend.

Labor's primary vote has increased one point to 34 per cent, but the ALP leads the Coalition 53 per cent to 47 per cent on a two-party preferred basis.

Mr Pyne says voters will be "glad" they elected the Coalition to power once the Federal Government's plan to repair the budget is made clear next Tuesday.

"I think the Newspoll reflects short-term views about the Government," Mr Pyne said in Adelaide.

"Polls will come and go; the ship of state which is the Australian Government will keep ploughing through these choppy waters, and I think we'll come through the other side in a sound condition.

"In the long term I think the Australian public will be glad that they elected a government of adults who are prepared to make the difficult decisions about our economy going into the future."

Mr Pyne pointed to budget speculation as one reason why the Government may be suffering a collapse in support.

"The month before the budget is always a peculiar month because of all the speculation, some of which turns out to be true, much of it which doesn't," he said.

"Next Tuesday the public will see the full, total response to the audit commission and our plans for the future in Australia about how to manage our economy.

"There's no easy way out to the debt and deficit disaster that Labor left us, but whatever we do has to be fair for everyone, it has to be right for the country.

"I think it's fair to say that the Australian people changed the government last year because they wanted a change in policy. They didn't change the government for the fun of it.

"They knew that if they elected a Coalition government - and they did so with a thumping majority - that we would make the tough decisions necessary to get the economy and the budget back on track.

"The Australian public would be surprised next Tuesday if we didn't have a budget that got the economy and the budget back on track."

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten says the Government is suffering because it is preparing to break its promises, such as introducing the debt levy.

"I don't think it's apparent heat against the Government, I think it's real heat against the Government," he said in Adelaide.

"This budget is scaring the daylights out of carers; it's scaring the daylights out of pensioners.

"There will be no just mere passing phase if Tony Abbott breaks his promises to the Australian people. When he was opposition leader he made himself the moral paragon, he made himself the Mother Teresa of prime ministers and opposition leaders. Tony Abbott staked his reputation on not breaking election promises."