He ducked questions about a possible reduction in Sunday penalty rates – arguing the independent Fair Work Commission would determine the matter – and said the Coalition would not raise taxes in its next term to improve the budget. The establishment's authority is rapidly eroding. Credit:Andrew Meares Mr Turnbull also claimed the Coalition's economic plan included a great deal on industrial relations, pointing to plans to re-establish the construction industry watchdog, the ABCC, and establish a Registered Organisations commission. This is despite the Coalition failure to fulfil its promise to respond to the Productivity Commission's review of the Fair Work Act, which was released last December. In uncertain times, and in the wake of Great Britain's shock vote for Brexit, "we need to stick together, stick to our economic plan, grow our economy, create more jobs, and build a better future for all Australians," Mr Turnbull said.

"Our plan will give Australian families economic security in an uncertain world". Treasurer Scott Morrison listens to Mr Turnbull at the National Press Club. Credit:Andrew Meares The Prime Minister stuck closely to the Liberal campaign's economic focus of the past eight weeks and made no new policy or spending announcements. He promised tax relief for middle income earners and business, amendments to the Fair Work Act to "stop the takeover of the Country Fire Authority in Victoria" and a same-sex marriage plebiscite "as soon as possible". Mr Turnbull also turned his guns on Labor for dishonestly frightening "frail and elderly people" about Medicare, uncertainty over its superannuation policy, promising $16.5 billion in larger deficits over four years and a series of backflips on funding commitments in areas such as foreign aid and the Schoolkids Bonus.

"Medicare is guaranteed under the Coalition and Bill Shorten knows it," he said. "Labor has nothing to say about jobs, growth and our economic future. Instead, Labor talks about higher taxes, more spending, higher deficits, more debt. "As leading economists have confirmed, if elected, Labor's fiscal profligacy and ill-discipline could put Australia's AAA credit rating at risk ... his priority at this election is purely political. As he says himself, he wants to run the country like a trade union." Australians faced a critical choice, the Prime Minister said, "if you only really know the leader of a minor party, but you don't really know their candidates, and you don't really know their policies, don't vote for them".

"Leave it to independents and preferences to decide, and Australians will find themselves this time next week with no clarity about their future. It is a roll of the dice that could well result in Bill Shorten as prime minister, with unions, Greens and independents pulling the strings," he said. "Ned Mannoun, in the south-west Sydney seat of Werriwa, and Julia Banks, our candidate for the seat of Chisholm, in Melbourne's east, have both campaigned so well they are in with a chance of claiming two long-held Labor electorates." "Today, I respectfully urge the voters in Werriwa and Chisholm to send these two outstanding Australians individuals to our Parliament." Long-serving Labor MP Anna Burke is retiring from Chisholm, which has a 1.7 per cent margin, at this election and similarly, Labor veteran Laurie Ferguson is not standing for Werriwa, which has a 6.1 per cent margin, at this election. Liberal strategists believe both may be vulnerable at this poll.