Labor denies it is taking comments by Malcolm Turnbull about aged-care workers out of context, fuming over the remarks and calling for an apology.
The opposition took umbrage when Mr Turnbull on Tuesday suggested aged-care workers could always aspire to "a better job" during income tax cut debate.
"We were there. We didn't put the words in his mouth," Labor leader Bill Shorten told reporters in Canberra on Wednesday.
"It's a legitimate aspiration to want to make more money but there are aspirations which go beyond that. I've got an aspiration to see aged care is properly funded."
Labor tackled Mr Turnbull on his personal income tax plans during parliament's question time on Tuesday.
They asked him whether an aged-care worker in Burnie, Tasmania should aspire to be an investment worker in order to better benefit from the tax cuts.
"The 60-year-old aged-care worker in Burnie is entitled to aspire to get a better job, entitled to get a promotion and earn more," Mr Turnbull told parliament.
An outraged Labor demanded a full apology, with opposition frontbencher Jim Chalmers describing the remarks as a "sickening spectacle".
Labor spokeswoman for ageing Julie Collins described the comments as "arrogant" and "out of touch."
"To say or imply aged-care workers in Australia do not make as valuable a contribution to society as an investment banker is outrageous," she said.
To put it in context, the next line in Mr Turnbull's response was: "Working in aged care is a good job, but you are entitled to seek to earn more."
