Prime Minister Kevin Rudd told people in Lismore that 3000 frontline health worker jobs will go under Tony Abbott.
But locals at the NSW north coast town were more inflamed by another issue - coal seam gas (CSG).
Mr Rudd extolled the merits of Labor-initiated Medicare Locals to voters in the seat of Page, held by Labor's Janelle Saffin - who was sporting a no-CSG badge.
Making a funding announcement of $50 million for better coordination of stroke treatment, he warned workers at a campaign event at the North Coast Medicare Local in Lismore their jobs were at risk.
"The real tragedy here today ... is that Mr Abbott is committed to the sacking of all 3000 Medicare Local frontline health professionals," he said.
"What you have before us right now is the human face of the impact of Mr Abbott's policy decision."
Mr Abbott, however, said Labor was making "outlandish and false claims".
Mr Rudd also said Mr Abbott thought he was already prime minister.
He reckons Mr Abbott has a photograph up in his office - Tony Abbott 28th prime minister - and has already worked on his victory speech.
But CSG is such a hot issue in the region that it's united voters of every political persuasion so Mr Rudd didn't escape a question about it.
Mr Rudd said the government supported decisions on CSG projects being made in Canberra.
"That means that in critical areas like northern NSW and the northern rivers in particular you are going to have our environment minister making the decision, not some state government minister in Macquarie Street," he said.
Heading into the Lismore venue, Mr Rudd drew the attention of a single protester who shouted: "Stop Tony Abbott, stop TPPA".
TPPA, stands for Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement, the latest free trade talks, which the protester says has the potential to undermine democracy.
On the way out, Mr Rudd passed anti-coal seem gas protesters chanting "Protect our water, protect our land".
Later at the Condong Bowling Club, in the neighbouring seat of Richmond, Mr Rudd announced $20 million in grants for community groups to run projects to promote activities among older people.
He also showed he's not too bad on the bowling green.
With the election campaign now into its third week, analysts have expressed their disappointment at the process.
Veteran political commentator Mungo MacCallum said the election campaign was vacuous and poll-driven.
"This is the worst election campaign I can remember and I have been covering them since 1963," he said.
