Bill Shorten posed with the 'inanimate carbon rod' on campaign swing

A cult Simpsons joke from a classic episode has taken Australian politics by storm, with Opposition Leader Bill Shorten taking time from the campaign trail to pose with a green rod.

Mr Shorten and Matt Keogh, the ALP candidate for the Canning by-election, were pictured wielding the so-called Inanimate Carbon Rod from a well known 1994 episode during a campaign swing on Saturday.

And they are not alone, with former Prime Minister Julia Gillard, Labor frontbencher Anthony Albanese and former Greens leader Christine Milne also brandishing the rod in photographs that have gone viral online.

The bizarre series of pictures comes after a Facebook group pledged to get the rod into the hands of politicians to bring some humour into politics.

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Labor leader Bill Shorten was pictured toting an inanimate carbon rod - a Simpsons reference - during a campaign swing at the weekend. A spokesman said he was a 'big time' fan of the classic cartoon

In one of the long-running cartoon series' classic episodes, an 'inanimate carbon rod' becomes a community icon, with people clamouring to praise it and take photographs. Labor candidate for Canning Matt Keogh followed Mr Shorten's lead, posing (left) with the rod

In Rod We Trust! Former prime minister Julia Gillard is another prominent figure who has taken up the baton for the viral campaign

As is former Greens leader Christine Milne, who wielded the inanimate carbon rod recently

Foreign affairs spokeswoman Tanya Plibersek is pictured with the rod

In the episode featuring the rod, Homer is repeatedly snubbed for awards and promotions. The honours are instead bestowed on the rod.

By the end of the episode, characters clamour to take pictures with the famous rod, which even graces the cover of TIME magazine ('In Rod We Trust'!).

One of the founders of the Australian group handing the rods to politicians said he started the campaign just to 'bring the joke out to the real world and bring a human and fun touch to politics'.

'I admittedly got bored one day and thought it would be funny to get politicians who are not the Liberals to participate and get a photo with the rod,' said the activist, who declined to be named.

'The joke being that Australian politicians also wanted to get a photo with the rod.

'The fans really love it and I think it shows a humorous side for politicians that we don't sometimes see.

'Bill Shorten was a great sport about it. He said he liked the Simpsons and agreed to participate which was great.

'He said he thought it was funny.'

The Facebook page responsible, the Simpsons Against the Liberals, features a variety of anti-Liberal memes using Simpsons imagery and is followed by more than 40,000 people.

Labor frontbencher Anthony Albanese presented a carbon rod to Senator Sue Lines

Everywhere and anywhere: The rod has even made an appearance at Parliament House in Canberra

A challenge on the cards? Rumours once again surround Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull - just months after he refused to indulge a potential leadership spill in February

The Opposition have reason to laugh.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott woke to media reports on Monday foreshadowing a leadership challenge - just days before a pivotal by-election in Canning.

An ABC report quoted a senior minister saying he expected a spill soon. 'And this time I think they will get him'.

At a press conference in South Australia on Monday, Mr Abbott told reporters: 'I'm not going to play Canberra games.'

'I know the media particularly like to play the Canberra games but I'm just not going to get involved in it'.

If a spill motion was called, it would be the second Liberal leadership crisis to break out into the open this year.

In February, Mr Abbott managed to stare down a spill motion 61 votes to 39 after several backbenchers revolted against his leadership.