Prime Minister Scott Morrison has dismissed Bill Shorten's five-point election manifesto, saying the Labor leader's sole objective is hiking taxes.
Those watching Mr Shorten's speech to party faithful in Sydney on Sunday could be forgiven for thinking they were witnessing an election campaign launch.
In the address, the Labor leader nominated improving schools and hospitals, standing up for workers, easing pressure on family budgets, ensuring a strong economy and investing in cleaner and cheaper energy as key priorities.
But the prime minister had a different take on his opponent's plans.
"I will tell you what Bill Shorten's five-point plan is - more tax, more tax, more tax, more tax, more tax," Mr Morrison told reporters in NSW.
"More tax doesn't grow the economy. All it means is more tax dragging the economy down taking more of what Australians earn."
Mr Shorten's speech coincided with the launch of a month-long Australian Council of Trade Unions' advertising campaign calling for an overhaul of industrial relations laws.
"There is no shock that the union movement wants Bill Shorten as prime minister, because Bill Shorten will let the law breakers become the law makers," Mr Morrison said.
It's a policy area Mr Shorten isn't shying away from.
"This election is a fight for the rights of Australian workers, the right to be represented by a union if they choose," he said.
"It is a fight for decent jobs and fair wages and we are in it to win it."
