Australian minister dismisses speculation about ambition to vie for Treasurer post

Australian government minister Scott Morrison has denied he is in line to take Joe Hockey's job as Treasurer despite doing much of the promotion of the Coalition' s second budget.

Speaking on the Seven Network on Monday morning, a day out from the release of the 2015 Budget, Morrison, the minister for social services, said he was unlikely to be asked to become treasurer because Prime Minister Tony Abbott had already made it clear Hockey was his first choice.

"That ain't going to happen. He (Abbott) has made his choice there," Morrison said. "He could decide that I could be the next astronaut to the moon but I don't think that will happen either."

Last week, Abbott personally reassured Hockey he would keep his job until the next election, due in late 2016.

Morrison has been seen as a rising star in the Liberal Party ranks after fulfilling the tough role as head of the Immigration Department.

A cabinet reshuffle in late December put the 46-year-old into the social services ministry, ensuring him a prominent role in the lead-up to the 2015 Budget.

Morrison's task on Monday was selling the government's 2.8 billion US dollar childcare package, which it will pay for with planned cuts to the family tax benefit announced in last year's budget.

The Opposition is opposed to the cuts. Labor's families spokesperson, Jenny Macklin, told Fairfax Media on Monday there was nothing fair about cutting benefits to families. Endi