With less than a week to go before pre-poll voting begins (June 14), Labor and the coalition are honing-in on the issue of child care affordability.
Highlighting the opposition's policy (sun) in Melbourne, opposition leader Bill Shorten said he stands by his comments on women and child care.
Labor leader Bill Shorten has defended saying men rely on women to handle childcare after being branded "prehistoric" by Nationals deputy Fiona Nash.
Mr Shorten says Labor makes no apology for prioritising childcare, even as the coalition sharpened its attack on the party's costing.
The coalition says Labor needs to be upfront with the public on where the money for its plans would come from.
The coalition also took aim at Labor's promise to lift the Child Care Benefit by 15 per-cent.
Labor has promised a $3 billion boost to child care rebates and benefits as well as $160 million to increase the number of child care places and outside school hours care.
The latest Newspoll shows support for independents and minor parties has increased by three points to 15-per cent - the highest level of voter support in the 31-year history of the poll.
The federal government has warned against voting for micro-parties or independents, saying that it would be a vote for chaos.
