Bill Shorten has told his colleagues they might be underdogs but Labor deserves to win the July 2 election.
The opposition leader claimed there was no hubris in that statement because Labor had always fought to offer the best plan for Australia's future.
Mr Shorten predicts the government's budget, to be delivered on Tuesday, will be mediocre and favour the big end of town.
"For the last two caucus meetings I've spoken about how we can win," he told what is likely the final meeting of Labor MPs and senators before the poll.
"Today I want to say to you that arguably with our policies we deserve to win."
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The rules of engagement for the mammoth eight-week campaign would be set this week, Mr Shorten said.
Labor had established it was united and done more policy work than many modern oppositions because it was determined to be a strong alternative government for Australia.
Mr Shorten welcomed that latest caucus member Pat Dodson - who was sworn into the Senate on Monday - and thanked the 10 opposition MPs retiring at the election.
"There is no person in this caucus in the last three years who I wish I could swap away," he said.
