Prime Minister Tony Abbott says voters will be "excited" by Tuesday night's budget, which he says will show a "credible path back to surplus" and will be focussed on small business.
"We've talked a lot about small business over the years without always actually delivering for small business," he conceded.
"This is not rhetoric this year, this is real," Mr Abbott said.
Small business and potentially sole traders are set to receive a tax cut.
"This is a budget that is designed to unleash the creativity of our people and I'm very, very confident that this will be a budget that they seize and make the most of," he said.
Mr Abbott made the comments to a gathering of government members, bureaucrats, diplomats and journalists attending a pre-budget function hosted by the Foreign Minister Julie Bishop.
He praised Ms Bishop as "fair set to be a truly remarkable foreign minister of our country."
"My job and Joe [Hockey's] job is to make sure this government lasts long enough for you to be the best and longest serving foreign minister of our country, " he said to laughter.
