On Tuesday night, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg will deliver a federal budget the Coalition hopes will be enough to win it another term in government.

The budget is usually delivered in May but has been brought forward because of the pending federal election.

The most likely dates for that poll are either May 4 or May 11 so we are looking at a concerted five or six-week campaign that will begin as soon as Mr Frydenberg starts speaking on Tuesday.

The last budget before an election is always a big-spending affair as the incumbent government's last  chance to use taxpayers' money to fund its own bid for re-election. And, given the information that has been leaked so far, this will be no different.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has taken a leaf out of predecessor John Howard's book when he was facing electoral defeat in 2001 and will make national security a cornerstone of the election campaign.

And, with that in mind, the government has already revealed the budget will commit almost $1 billion towards boosting counter terrorism and upgrading airport security.

Over the weekend Mr Morrison was spruiking a $190 million allocation to upgrade toilet and change room facilities at sporting grounds to promote women's sport while billions will be committed to improving regional roads and country bridges.

Research and subsidised scans will be part of the government's health initiatives and Mr Frydenberg is expected to return the budget to surplus while fast-tracking income tax cuts. But will it be enough?

The government must have been buoyed by the NSW election result where their state colleagues were able to stem the predicted bloodshed and managed to retain a majority government.

But much of the commentary in the week since the election has focused on the personal popularity of Premier Gladys Berejiklian and unpopularity of (former) Labor leader Michael Daley.

It's hard to see that translating to the federal poll where neither Mr Morrison nor opposition leader Bill Shorten could be described as charismatic or engaging.

And that's what makes Tuesday night's budget so important for the government - it's a free kick in what could be a very tight contest come May.

Let the fun and games begin.