Slashing spending is the business community's preferred pathway to budget repair as federal government debt tracks towards $1 trillion.
The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry has singled out "excessive government spending" as the root cause of Australia's spiralling debt problem.
ACCI chief executive Andrew McKellar said the government must focus on reining in spending rather than increasing taxes in the May budget.
"This is vital to building business confidence, thereby unlocking private investment."
The group has recommended "efficiency boards" for large and complex policy spending areas, such as the National Disability Insurance Scheme, aged care, defence, health and infrastructure.
Tax reform is also on the business group's wish list, including abolishing the two-tiered corporate tax system.
Australia has a 30 per cent tax rate for medium and large businesses and 25 per cent rate for smaller businesses, which ACCI says "is inhibiting the growth of more than just larger businesses, as small businesses rely on larger businesses as both suppliers and customers".
The business network wants the tax rate incrementally lowered to 25 per cent for all businesses.
"This will enable both small and medium-sized Australian businesses to be more competitive in international markets, encourage greater reinvestment to drive business growth and make Australia more attractive for foreign investment," the submission says.
In a separate budget submission, Industry Super Australia called for more frequent super payments to stop bosses from ripping off their staff.
Super payments are legally paid every quarter, but ISA says this "outdated" law allows employers to obscure underpayments from their staff.
ISA chief executive Bernie Dean said Australians were missing out on billions in lost super.
"Aligning payment of super and wages is the right thing to do by workers, boosts government revenue, lifts investment returns and puts all employers on a level playing field," he said.
The industry group found workers were missing out on around $4.7 billion a year via unpaid super.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers will hand down his second budget on May 9.
