Labor appears likely to support the government's deficit levy, but it will oppose a GP tax and health and education cuts, according to shadow treasurer Chris Bowen.
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Speaking to the National Press Club on Wednesday, Mr Bowen said the Abbott government's first budget had “trashed” decency and democracy and robbed the government of its moral authority a little more than six months into its first term.
In a budget reply speech that was heavy on criticism of the government but had few specific initiatives, Mr Bowen said a special visa should be created for young entrepreneurs who want to come to Australia.
The shadow treasurer said Prime Minister Tony Abbott and Treasurer Joe Hockey had gone way beyond broken promises and set up a “false choice” which suggested Australia could be either prosperous or fair, but not both.
“There are two reasons that the people of Australia are justifiably angry about this budget: the arrogance of its deceit and its overwhelming unfairness,” Mr Bowen said.
The comments come on a day when students in major cities protested the government's plans to deregulate university fees and angry talkback radio callers in Melbourne accused Mr Abbott of lying, fearmongering and endangering the health of pensioners.
Mr Bowen said the opposition was working its way through budget measures and would consider policies on their merits, but it would contradict Labor's values to support policies they thought were unfair or gave rise to inequality.
He said a research fund to develop the "cures of tomorrow" should not be paid for by taxing the sick and that Labor would oppose the proposed $7 fee to go to the doctor.
But he gave a strong indication the party was considering the proposed deficit levy for high income earners.
“We will be as constructive as we can be on measures we don't find as unconscionable as the ones I've outlined,” Mr Bowen said.
Mr Bowen said the government's values were also on display in its budget and the verdict from Australians was clear: "They don't like them."
"Tony Abbott pontificates that 'no one said it would be easy'," Mr Bowen said.
"Well, actually, someone did: he did.
"Tony Abbott and Joe Hockey engaged in pre-election voodoo economics, pretending they could somehow engineer a return to surplus with no new taxes, no tax increases and no spending cuts in health and education."
