School leavers, young Australians and the jobless will be targeted under a $1 billion budget plan to train and reskill the workforce to drive the unemployment rate well below pre-pandemic levels.

Weed and pest control programs have been cut in the federal budget as farmers and conservationists grapple with feral animals and noxious plants.

With cost of living dominating among voter concerns, Peter Dutton is spoiling for a fight over spending ahead of Wednesday’s monthly CPI data, which is expected to show a sharp drop in headline ...