Federal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg is set to deliver the first surplus budget in 12 years, plus a raft of pre-election sweeteners, on the back of strong coal and iron ore exports.

Mr Frydenberg will hand down his first budget tonight, just days out from Prime Minister Scott Morrison calling a federal election for May 11 or 18.

The Treasurer is expected to announce that the government will double the $530 tax break it gave last year to workers who earn between $48,000 and $90,000, ensuring a $1000 boost for about 4.4 million on low and middle incomes, The Australian reports.

There will also be tax relief for those earning as little as $37,000 and as much as $126,000.

 “Tonight’s budget sets up Australia for the next decade,” Mr Frydenberg told reporters in Canberra today. “It builds a strong economy and sceures a better Australia for every Australian, and we do that without increasing taxes.

“Tonight’s surplus is no accident. It’s the product of responsible decisions and an economic plan that is working.”

Labor has already flagged it will deliver its own economic statement later in the year if, as polls suggest, it wins the election — rendering the budget mostly redundant.

However, the opposition has signalled it will deliver bigger and fairer tax cuts, and put more money into schools and hospitals.

Mr Morrison said the budget will be about building a stronger economy to secure Australia’s future, including hospital funding at record levels and guaranteed support for Medicare.

“We know how to preside over a strengthening economy … through lower taxes, supporting small and family businesses and opening up our export markets,” he told reporters yesterday.

He rejected suggestions the budget was about buying votes, saying Commonwealth spending would be at its lowest growth rate in 50 years.

CommSec said payments in the eight months to February were about $2.9 billion less than assumed by the government, with revenues tracking very close to forecasts — effectively showing the budget was already in balance.

It is expected the government’s already-legislated income tax cuts will be brought forward, cash payments provided to pensioners to cover power bills, and billions set aside for road and rail projects and subsidising new drugs.

Labor leader Bill Shorten says it won’t be an economic document. “It’s a political leaflet by a government asking you to forget the last six years of division and disunity,” he told reporters in Canberra. “The scepticism level is high.”

Mr Frydenberg yesterday evening announced changes to super, affecting about 55,000 people.

Those aged 65 and 66 will be able to make voluntary superannuation contributions without meeting the work test from mid-2020.

Currently, they can only make voluntary concessional and non-concessional contributions if they work a minimum of 40 hours over a 30-day period. Anglicare Australia executive director Kasy Chambers said an increase in Newstart was needed, as it had been frozen at “dangerously low levels” for too long.

The business sector is looking for a boost in funding for vocational education and training, as well as apprenticeships.