Money to make communities more resilient to climate change-fuelled floods, fires and storms has been dwarfed by the multi-billion-dollar taxpayer burden of disaster response.
Commonwealth spending on payments to help households and businesses in the immediate aftermath of disasters is on track to reach $13.5 billion following ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred.
The destructive storm alone is expected to cost taxpayers $1.2 billion.
Tuesday's federal budget acknowledged climate change was causing more frequent and extreme weather events, "compounding and increasing effects on our economy, security and trade".
Nearly $29 million over two years is earmarked for resilience to natural hazards and disaster preparedness, a figure Independent MP for Warringah Zali Steggall says is meagre in comparison to the ballooning bill for disaster payments.
"Piecemeal upgrades to roads in marginal electorates do not constitute a genuine resilience strategy," she said.
Tuesday's budget is the last before a federal election due on May 17 or earlier, with a minority government considered the likely outcome, potentially putting the crossbench in a stronger negotiating position.
Climate Councillor and economist Nicki Hutley told AAP the budget did not represent major reform on climate action nor adaptation but did build on existing commitments from Labor.
Confirmation of the $2 billion for the Clean Energy Finance Corporation, $3 billion for green metals and $3 billion for rail projects in Western Sydney and Melbourne were welcome steps in the right direction, she said.
Household battery subsidies did not materialise in the budget as expected but Ms Hutley was hopeful they would feature in the upcoming election campaign.
Investing in rooftop solar backed up by batteries would help protect Australians from price shocks permanently, the economist said.
"While energy rebates offer reprieve from power price pain today, it's only short-term relief."
The budget contained no new fossil fuel subsidies yet the bill for the long-standing fuel tax credit - largely for off-road diesel users like farmers and miners - is forecast to keep expanding.
Australian Conservation Foundation chief executive Kelly O'Shanassy said six times more money was going towards fossil fuel subsidies than environmental protection.
"While spending on all environment protection programs totals $9.4 billion over the forward estimates, a single fossil fuel subsidy, the notorious fuel tax credits scheme – which encourages diesel fuel use and discourages innovation – is allocated $57.8 billion over the same period," she said.
A $3 million breeding program for the Maugean skate was the only new spending on endangered species.
Environmental groups were largely dissatisfied by the sum for the Tasmanian ray following the federal government's attempts to pass nature law changes they say will exempt the salmon industry from proper regulation.
"This could sound the death knell for a species that has been around since the time of the dinosaurs and is found nowhere else on Earth," WWF-Australia chief executive officer Dermot O'Gorman said.
