The Prime Minister and opposition leader have used very different vehicles to sell their messages for a stronger Australian economy and jobs growth.
Malcolm Turnbull has talked up the lucrative ship building capacity of the west, while Bill Shorten pledged a brighter future for workers in the troubled Australian car industry.
The federal opposition has kicked off week two of the election campaign with a $59 million pledge to help those left jobless in the car industry find work.
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten visited Geelong, in Victoria, where the Ford manufacturing plant will close later this year.
Mr Shorten says the funding will generate jobs by giving businesses incentives to create new products and markets in advanced manufacturing.
He says Australians have watched in "stunned disbelief" as the Liberal government goaded the car industry to leave.
"They have no plans for advanced manufacturing. Instead they just say leave it to the market and leave the blue collar workers on the scrap heap. By contrast we're saying today that we will provide money to work with companies that are seeking to change their business from just relying on automotive components to be able to provide manufacturing jobs as these sort of companies such as we're visiting today reach out and find new export markets and new jobs for Australians."
The federal government says Labor's assistance package to the car industry is too little, too late.
Finance Minister Mathias Cormann says the coalition already has $200 million on the table.
Investment in manufacturing also loomed large for the prime minister as he campaigned in the West Australian seat of Fremantle.
Malcolm Turnbull toured the Austal shipyard, which has been commissioned to build 19 Australian patrol boats.
He says these are some of the most sophisticated naval vessels in the world and he's proud to see Australia leading the way in industry.
"This is the future of Australian industry and jobs advanced manufacturing - supported by our enterprise tax cuts, supported by our trade export deals, supported by our policies on innovation and science. You can see it brought together here today. It's brought together with an energy, innovation, a commitment to to Australia and its talent - its talented people, its talented workers."
But Mr Turnbull's visit wasn't without challenge.
He toured the site without the Liberal candidate at his side, after the political aspirant's views about Indigenous reconciliation and gay marriage emerged.
Sherry Sufi reportedly posted musings online about his opposition to the apology to the Stolen Generations and claiming same-sex marriage will lead to polygamy.
Mr Turnbull distanced himself from Mr Sufi's comments.
"I don't agree with that but this is an issue on which there is a wide range of views but my own view is that we should recognize our first Australians in our Constitution and that is I might say the view of the government."
Leaders continued to tussle over workplace relations with Bill Shorten rejecting a bid by the Greens to legislate for existing penalty rates.
Mr Shorten says a Labor government would lodge a strong argument in favour of the rates applying in the hospitality and retail sectors in a Fair Work Commission case due to be finalised soon.
But Greens senator Nick McKim has told Sky News that's not good enough, arguing weekend penalty rates should be enshrined in law.
"We absolutely believe that is absolutely workable in a modern economy. There are various ways it could be done but we're legislating, we're leaning towards legislating to include, a floor at current award rates - in regards to penalty rates. And making that floor in legislation. So simply the Fair Work Commission could not go below that floor in making their determinations."
Malcolm Turnbull says the government's position remains straight forward.
He says there's an umpire in place and the government intends to abide by its rulings.
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