Government moves to war footing for a race it's still in

The treasurer will attempt to insert enough sweeteners to try and persuade voters to let him come back next year and do it again.

IN A fraction more than one week from now the government will hand down its pre-election budget and launch into election mode.

It will be Treasurer Josh Frydenberg's first budget.

He'll attempt to insert enough sweeteners to try and persuade voters to let him come back next year and do it again.

When the treasurer takes to his feet about 6pm next Tuesday the government will move to war footing.

It will promote a relatively credible economic record of uninterrupted growth and low unemployment.

Looking forward, there are clouds on the horizon.

America's recession warning light is flashing and our own economic growth has slowed.

The extent of the storm won't be fully known until December when the government releases the mid-year economic update.

Whether it's Mr Frydenberg or Labor's Chris Bowen steering through the headwinds is yet to be known.

As we found on Saturday night with the Liberals' victory in New South Wales, electoral polling can be unreliable.

With a sweet federal budget on April 2 the momentum may shift enough to put doubt about Bill Shorten in voters' minds.

The government isn't out of this race yet.

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