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A re-elected Morrison government aims to save an additional $1 billion over the next four years by requiring the public service to make more savings in the way they manage their operations.

Releasing the government's election campaign costings on Tuesday, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said $2.3 billion had been committed for 35 policies.

These include more seniors having access to the health concession card, reducing the co-payments for taxpayer-subsidised medicines and a new policy to support first home buyers into the property market by allowing them to access their superannuation.

To help offset these costs, the government would increase the efficiency dividend on departments and agencies by 0.5 percentage points to two per cent, saving around a further $1 billion.

Those savings are on top of the $103 billion improvements in the budget bottom line flagged in the 2022/23 budget release on March 2.

Mr Frydenberg says this is the result of more Australians being in work and fewer people being on welfare.

It was also the result of conservatively forecasting commodity prices in its economic assumptions.

For example, the budget estimates iron ore at $US55 per tonne, even though it's trading at $US130 per tonne, the treasurer said.

"If we were to see that for another six months, it would be worth $30 billion to our budget bottom line," Mr Frydenberg told reporters in Melbourne.

In total, the forecast $2.7 billion to be saved under the efficiency dividend increase will be driven by how departments managed their properties, technology, consultants and contractors, and staffing arrangements.

"It's a very safe and reliable way of achieving modest savings," Finance Minister Simon Birmingham said.

"These in no way impact the delivery of services and support to Australians."

Labor is expected to release its election campaign costings by Thursday.

© AAP 2022

Gold Coast coach Stuart Dew is as confident as ever that he will earn a new contract with the AFL club despite the looming spectre of Alastair Clarkson.

Four-time premiership mentor Clarkson has declared he will consider offers to return to coaching next season.

The GWS job is available after Leon Cameron stepped down last week.

But there is widespread speculation the AFL wants Clarkson in the tough Gold Coast market, where the Suns have struggled to make an impact since joining the competition in 2011.

Dew is out of contract at the end of this year but has public support from the Gold Coast hierarchy.

The 42-year-old, who has a 23-1-68 record over five seasons, is confident he will be given a new deal to continue on the path he has led the playing group down.

"I am, is the short answer, and probably the only answer I need to give because that's how I feel," Dew told Fox Footy.

"I'm a bit like the players, I'm getting towards that 80 to 100-game mark and I feel really comfortable in my own skin, and in and around the group.

"Our players across all demographics have committed to the club and obviously I'm a big part of that ... we've got a great environment up here and we're enjoying where we're going."

Clarkson, for whom Dew was a key player in Hawthorn's 2008 premiership, said last week he felt sick being linked to the Gold Coast role because of the pair's connection.

Dew said he has not had any contact from Clarkson in recent times.

"My absolute focus is on the team and club, and I think that's where it needs to be," Dew said.

Dew has led Gold Coast to upset wins over top-eight sides Fremantle and Sydney over the past two weeks.

Their 4-5 record has confounded the critics and put the Suns on the verge of the finals places ahead of Saturday's clash with the Western Bulldogs in Ballarat.

"We don't harp on the underdog tag because then it becomes self-fulfilling," Dew said.

"We approach each game as if we've got the possibility to win and we prepare for the opposition's best.

"We're really confident that if we can get our players in the right headspace that that can cater for all opposition.

"Our challenge has been to deliver that and we've done that the last couple of weeks but we've also had some periods in games that have cost us."

© AAP 2022

Lynette Dawson's sister is set to testify at her ex-husband's trial after a friend and neighbour of the alleged victim said she believed Chris Dawson murdered her.

Julie Andrew told the NSW Supreme Court on Monday she had seen Dawson standing over his crying wife, screaming at her and shaking her shoulders in the backyard of their Bayview, Sydney, home in late 1981 - weeks before she disappeared.

Ms Andrew said she later checked on Ms Dawson who was upset because the babysitter, JC, was going to live at the family home permanently.

Ms Andrew told Ms Dawson she couldn't let JC, a student at the school where Dawson was teaching, live in her house because he was having sex with the girl.

Ms Dawson had had such a difficult time giving birth to her two daughters that she would never have abandoned them, Ms Andrew said.

"I do believe Chris Dawson murdered his wife," she told the court.

Recordings played to the court of conversations between Ms Andrew and The Teacher's Pet podcast creator Hedley Thomas talked about interest in the case from Hollywood stars such as Hugh Jackman and Joel Edgerton.

Ms Andrew rejected claims she had embellished her evidence after getting carried away by her involvement in the podcast and feelings of self-importance.

Dawson, 73, a former Newtown Jets rugby league player, has pleaded not guilty to murdering his wife in January 1982.

The Crown alleges Dawson killed her and disposed of her body because of his affair with JC.

Defence barrister Pauline David said on Monday that Dawson might have failed his wife as a husband, but he did not kill her.

She said the police investigation into Ms Dawson's disappearance had been flawed, and they had failed to follow up alleged phone calls from her and sightings of her after she had supposedly been murdered.

The judge-alone trial resumes on Tuesday with Ms Dawson's sister Patricia Jenkins scheduled to give evidence.

© AAP 2022