The election campaign shifted to western Sydney with Julia Gillard telling voters the jobs the government had saved by keeping the recession at bay was the most important factor to consider on August 21.

In a one-hour ''town hall'' session at Rooty Hill RSL, Ms Gillard took 14 questions, most of which were hostile and three of which expressed displeasure at the dumping of Kevin Rudd.

She stressed it was ultimately her decision to move against Mr Rudd because the ''government was not in a shape to deal with some pressing problems''.

After Ms Gillard's session, the Opposition Leader, Tony Abbott, faced the floor for an hour.