Opposition Leader Sussan Ley will argue reliance on Australia's welfare system has "swung too far toward dependency," indicating the coalition will seek to scale back benefits.

The push for welfare savings is at the centre of Ms Ley's first major economic speech, which she will deliver in Melbourne on Wednesday.

The opposition leader sidesteps the issue dividing her caucus, climate policy, in favour of an attack on Labor's increased government spending.

At the Committee for Economic Development of Australia, Ms Ley will say the right balance will need to be restored between what citizens provide for themselves and what taxpayers provide through a safety net.

"Unfortunately, in the past few years, the pendulum has swung too far toward dependency," she will say.

"It has become almost ta

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