Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has unleashed a blistering attack on Opposition Leader Bill Shorten, slamming him as a "simpering sycophant" and a "parasite" who yearns for his own harbourside mansion.

The energetic end to Question Time came after Mr Shorten launched his own barbs at the Prime Minister, accusing him of attacking families, attacking standards of living, of being tough on pensioners and soft on banks.

"The Prime Minister is seriously the most out-of-touch personality to ever hold this great office of Prime Minister," Mr Shorten said.

Mr Turnbull's response, which led to the rare display of Coalition members thumping their desks, was brutal and an effort to counter attacks on his personal wealth just days after he revealed his $1.7 million donation to the Liberal Party.

Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce appeared to enjoy Malcolm Turnbull's speech. ( ABC News: Nick Haggarty )

Mr Turnbull said Mr Shorten was a "would-be tribune of the people" and accused him of rising to prominence by networking with prominent Melbourne businessmen like Richard Pratt.

"There was never a union leader in Melbourne that tucked his knees under more billionaires' tables than the Leader of the Opposition," he said.

"He lapped it up, yes, he lapped it up.

"He was such a sycophant, a social-climbing sycophant if there ever was one."

The Prime Minister accused Mr Shorten of "knocking back Dick Pratt's Cristal" and looking forward to living at the personal expense of taxpayers.

"This sycophant, blowing hard in the House of Representatives, sucking hard in the living rooms of Melbourne, what a hypocrite," Mr Turnbull said.

"They call themselves the Labor Party; well Mr Speaker, manual labour is a Mexican band as far as they are concerned. Most of them have never done a day's work in their lives."

Shorten admits to lowering the tone of debate

Sorry, this video has expired Turnbull's attack headlines day in politics

Mr Shorten told 7:30 both sides of politics, including his own, must improve the standard of debate.

Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume. Watch Duration: 8 minutes 58 seconds 8 m Bill Shorten on being called a 'parasite' and 'sycophant' by Malcolm Turnbull ( Leigh Sales )

He said the criticism about his relationship with Melbourne businessman Richard Pratt was unfair.

"It is true that I was a good friend with the late Richard Pratt. He died eight years ago," he said.

"I think that Malcolm Turnbull wants to criticise our position on families and we have that argument. We should do that.

"But I think he was showing his pressure when he referred to a bloke who died eight years ago.

"I think we've got to lift the tone of debate. That goes for all of us."

Labor attacks 'slippery' PM

Labor politicians earlier used Question Time to attack Human Services Minister Alan Tudge for his handling of Centrelink's much-criticised debt-recovery program.

The Opposition's Linda Burney asked Mr Tudge why a 67-year-old pensioner was incorrectly told she needed to repay money to the Government, causing her stress and anxiety.

The program will now be investigated by a Senate committee to determine why thousands of Australians were incorrectly told they needed to repay money.

Mr Shorten said he expected Mr Tudge would stand up in Question Time and say "I'm sorry, we got it wrong".

"In Labor we don't think every Centrelink recipient is a cheat," he said.

Mr Shorten called the Prime Minister a "slippery figure" and said Coalition ministers had avoided questions about planned changes to welfare and childcare.

He asked Mr Turnbull whether it was true more than 1 million families would have their family payments cut under legislation introduced to Parliament on Wednesday.

The Federal Government has combined a range of stalled and revised welfare measures into a single bill to try to force nearly $4 billion in savings through the Parliament.

"No matter how often you duck and hide, we will get the number out of you," Mr Shorten said.