Federal Labor seeks pre-election briefings

Labor leader Bill Shorten has written to Prime Minister Scott Morrison informing him Labor intends to seek pre-election briefings from public servants.

Labor frontbenchers will seek departmental briefings in the leadup to the election. (AAP)

Labor frontbenchers will seek pre-election briefings from government departments with the federal election looming.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has written to Prime Minister Scott Morrison telling him his frontbench intends to seek the briefings.

Under caretaker guidelines, the opposition leader and shadow ministers can seek briefings with the public service three months from parliament's expiry date or the announcement of an election - whichever is first.

According to the Parliamentary Library, the latest date for a regular House of Representatives and half-Senate election is 18 May 2019, which Labor says makes the deadline February 18.

"This letter serves as notice that the opposition intends to begin exercising its right to seek public service briefings under the guidelines, noting that we have now passed the three-month deadline from the effective expiry of the parliament," Mr Shorten wrote.

"Opposition shadow ministers will contact departmental secretaries to begin arranging briefings in coming days."