Malcolm Turnbull and Bill Shorten have made a pitch to younger voters seeking jobs, as early voting opened across the country ahead of the July 2 election.
The prime minister and opposition leader campaigned in Perth on Tuesday, as the first of what could be as many as five million Australians entered early voting booths.
Asked whether he feared a swing against the coalition in Western Australia, as polls were suggesting, Mr Turnbull said: "I'm focused on the future of these young people. They are not focused on polling."
The prime minister spoke with a group of young people who shared their stories about seeking work experience and training.
The Labor leader announced the creation of 10,000 pre-apprenticeship places at TAFE for young people and a pilot program for mature-aged and retrenched workers.
Apprentice Ready places would give young job seekers who have been unemployed for six months or more access to a 20-week, industry-endorsed pre-apprenticeship course for trades on the national skills needs list.
"There is a crisis. Now more than ever we need to back-in apprenticeships," Mr Shorten said.
Out of Australia's 15.5 million voters, 2.9 million are aged under 30.
Polls are showing younger voters favour Labor over the coalition, as the opposition campaigns heavily on education and skills.
A comment by Mr Shorten on the ABC's Q&A program in which he appeared to favour a treaty with indigenous Australians was met with caution by Mr Turnbull.
"To introduce another element, a treaty, the terms of which is unknown, the nature of which is unknown, adds a level of uncertainty that puts at risk the constitutional recognition process," Mr Turnbull told reporters.
"We have to be very careful that you don't set hares running that undermine the real goal."
Mr Shorten said both symbolic and practical recognition were important.
"There is a level of cynicism amongst parts of the Australian community that somehow constitutional reform in and of itself will deliver all the other outcomes," he said.
The nation needed to start a discussion about a possible indigenous treaty, while also tackling health, education, employment and housing, he said.
Labor's campaign will be officially launched this Sunday in Sydney, while the coalition's set-piece event will be in Sydney on June 26.
Mr Shorten and Mr Turnbull will take part in a Facebook-news.com.au discussion on Friday night.
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