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Peter Dutton says a wave of migration will worsen Australia's housing crisis and leave the nation's battlers in its wake.

In his budget reply speech on Thursday, the opposition leader also said the coalition would ban betting ads during sports matches if it won the next election and commit $5 million to make treatment for conditions affecting women such as endometriosis more affordable.

Tellingly, though, Mr Dutton said the nation was built on the success of its migrants but in a housing crisis it had to be managed.

"Families can't find rental accommodation, you can't buy a house at an auction, it's tough," he told Nine's Today show on Friday.

Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles said the coalition's position was the "height of hypocrisy" with the 2019 budget forecasting Australia's population to hit 27 million.

"They were proposing that there be a bigger Australia than what we've faced now," he said.

Mr Marles said the coalition and Greens were teaming up to block policies such as the government's $10 billion housing fund, which was aimed at alleviating the housing crunch.

While the opposition backed some budget measures such as tripling the bulk billing incentive and expanding single-parent payments, Mr Dutton said families had received little support.

"The budget hurts working Australians. Worse, it risks creating a generation of working poor Australians," he said on Thursday.

Opposition finance spokeswoman Jane Hume said the government had failed to tackle inflation.

"Unless you slay that dragon, well, essentially you're not governing. You're not doing your job," she told ABC TV on Friday.

"If you're governing for all Australians, you have to tackle the problem at the source not simply the symptoms. The only way to do that is to bring down inflation."

Mr Dutton said increasing overseas migration by 1.5 million people across the next five years would fuel a housing and rental crisis.

"Cities, towns and suburbs are already choked with congestion, yet in this budget - as it did in the last - the government is cutting infrastructure spending already announced," he said.

He doubled down on claims families with children and a mortgage would be $25,000 worse off under the government and said power bills would still rise despite measures in the budget providing energy relief.

"Very few Australians can say they are better off today than they were 12 months ago when Labor was elected," he said.

Senator Hume said the number of new migrants was not the prime concern, but how the system was managed.

"We've been built on the back of the migrant story and we want that to continue ... but if you don't manage your migration intake, then it can actually do economic harm rather than good," she said.

Assistant Treasurer Stephen Jones said Mr Dutton's address rehashed old ideas rejected by voters at the last election.

"He's come back into the parliament with the same old ideas and the same old approach instead of trying to unify the country and make them feel confident about the future," he said.

The budget contained $14.6 billion in cost-of-living relief measures, including a $40 a-week increase in welfare payments for those on JobSeeker - a measure the coalition will oppose.

Instead, Mr Dutton said there should be an increase in the income-free threshold, arguing people would be able to earn more.

"The government has taken decisions - and avoided others - which has made inflation higher than it needs to be," he said.

© AAP 2023

Perth rockers Voyager have made it through to the Eurovision final after performing in all their glam glory at the second semi final.

The Australians will join the top ten along with Lithuania, Poland, Armenia, Slovenia. Albania, Cyprus, Estonia, Belgium and Austria in the grand final on Saturday, UK time.

The band had said that becoming 'a part of the Eurovision family' by taking part in the semi-final has already exceeded their expectations, so they weren't feeling pressure to take out the trophy or even reach the finals.

"You are fiercely competitive in some ways but in other ways, you're just all there to have a good time and perform to the best of your abilities and it's all about the music for the end of the day," lead singer and keytarist Danny Estrin told AAP.

"Does it mean we don't have what it takes to win it? I think we do."

But if worst comes to worst, the group is philosophical.

"We're a progressive metal band from Perth, Western Australia, playing Eurovision in Liverpool. I mean, how could we ever consider ourselves losers in this," bassist Alex Canion said.

Unlike many competitions in life, a music contest can come down to tastes and on-the-day performance, the band said.

"We're not running a hundred-metre race. Well we are, but we've all got different costumes on," said Estrin, adding their finals costumes would be "extra".

"It's so subjective. There's no 'who can perform the song fastest'," bassist Alex Canion agreed.

And with a potential final audience of some 180 million viewers, the exposure is second to none, drummer Ashley Doodkorte said.

"On the day, on the night, we all get that same three minutes in front of that same audience. Everyone wins," Doodkorte said.

Eurovision should go some way to developing a global following for the band that has existed in one form or another for some two decades.

"This has all been an elaborate and highly effective album release strategy for our eighth album which comes out after we finish Eurovision," part-time lawyer Estrin joked.

"Already, up to this point now, we've already won."

The 2023 Eurovision is being held in Liverpool and hosted by the UK on behalf of Ukraine, whose Kalush Orchestra claimed victory last year.

© AAP 2023

Brisbane's Kevin Walters has an ally in Melbourne mentor Craig Bellamy with the coaching duo calling for a review of the controversial hip-drop tackle after the costly sin-binning of Pat Carrigan during Thursday night's NRL clash.

The Broncos lock was placed on report and joined teammates Tom Flegler and Herbie Farnworth in being sent to the sin-bin at AAMI Park during a chaotic match won by the Storm 24-16.

Carrigan was given his 10 minutes at the 55 minute mark, with the Storm kicking a penalty to go ahead 12-10.

And the sin bin had further consequences for Brisbane with the Storm scoring through centre Justin Olam while the Queensland State of Origin star was on the sidelines.

Carrigan's tackle on Nelson Asofa-Solomona seemed innocent with the lock appeared to be sliding down the Storm prop's legs with his feet never leaving the ground.

Walters didn't see that Carrigan, who was visibly frustrated as he left the field, did anything wrong.

"He slid down his legs ... the NRL want you to slide down the legs and Patty did that," Walters said.

Asked if the hip-drop tackle needs to be addressed by the NRL, Walters said: "Definitely. You wouldn't like to see it happen in a grand final, someone get sin-binned for that."

Storm coach Bellamy backed Walters when asked about the about the hip-drop tackle, which has become a talking point this season.

"I think they are very inconsistent with it," Bellamy said.

"Patrick was very unlucky to go to the sin bin.

"I am thinking along the lines that Kevvie's (Walters) thinking, it was a tough decision to send him to the sin bin."

Last month the Australian Rugby League Commission asked the NRL to provide more clarity to coaches on what a hip-drop tackle is after a spate of controversial suspensions and sin bins.

Carrigan is in danger of missing Brisbane's clash next round against premiers Penrith given he was rubbed out for four games last season for a hip drop tackle on Jackson Hastings.

The Broncos are already set to lose their captain Adam Reynolds, who suffered a neck and shoulder injury and concussion during the Storm game, although was cleared of serious damage.

Melbourne centre Reimis Smith was also placed on report for a dangerous tackle in the first half of a fiery affair.

Flegler was sin-binned for a scuffle and Farnworth for a professional foul so should face no further penalty.

© AAP 2023