THE global economic cloud from the British decision to leave the European Union will further complicate the final week of a prolonged, scrambled election campaign.

The last-week test for Malcolm Turnbull and Bill Shorten was to win the arm wrestle and establish a dominant theme to implants in voters’ minds.

Labor’s Mr Shorten had strongly run on the claim a Coalition government would wreck Medicare, a staple issue for families.

The Liberals under Mr Turnbull were promoting economic management and the benefits claimed tom come from huge tax cuts for business.

The British referendum result has now put the emphasis on the economy as more than $1 trillion has been wiped from financial markets in a few hours, and uncertainty will linger, possibly for years.

Labor will release costings of its election promises early next week, and the Liberals were always set to accuse Mr Shorten and shadow treasurer Chris Bowen of reckless spending.

With Brexit arousing global fears, the attack will be upgraded to dangerously reckless, while Mr Turnbull will follow up with is message of calm and stability.

The timing of the British decision is heartbreaking for Labor.

In 2007 the election which made Kevin Rudd prime minister dodged the global financial crisis by a year.

Had it occurred 12 months earlier it is likely John Howard would have been kept on as the electorate looked for reassurance over novelty.

Bill Shorten cannot dodge the crisis of 2016.

In 2008-09 the Labor Government packers in the stimulus and, while some of those measures remain controversial, Australia emerged one of the few industrialised nations to avoid a recession.

Neither side has the money available to implement stimulus anywhere near the proportions of 2008-09.

The Liberals could argue its proposed $48 billion in tax cuts would be a stimulus of sorts to boost investment and employment.

The competing responses will be highlighted when Mr Turnbull official launches his campaign — after seven weeks of campaigning — in Sydney tomorrow.

Mr Shorten will address the National Press Club on Tuesday and Mr Turnbull on Thursday.

Before about 2.30pm Friday when Australia first heard the Brexit news, the double-dissolution poll had fragmented into six separate contests as the states tossed up local matters which overwhelmed the national issues.

In Queensland, Mr Turnbull has performed strongly in the state’s southeast but could be in trouble in the north where unemployment and collapsed investment are working against him.

That’s why Mr Shorten is in Townsville for job creation proposals.

Liberal Party finally unleash attack ads The Liberals have finally unleashed their attack advertisements on Bill Shorten.

However, the Labor leader has problems in his home state of Victoria where a dispute between volunteer fire fighters and professional firemen has allowed the Liberals to make a state matter a national issue with the theme not a Labor government being pushed around by a militant union.

A Galaxy poll published today found 44 per cent of voters were less likely to back Labor because of the dispute.

In South Australia Mr Turnbull’s announcement of massive, employment generating submarine contracts has not subdued expectations Labor could make significant gains in a state where businesses appear to be closing or are on the verge of closure.

And this is the base state for veteran independent Nick Xenophon, whose team is staring the major parties.

Mr Shorten has taken aim at household expenses such as housing, visits to the GP and education to attract the support of “Mr and Mrs Penrith” in western Sydney.

But the area is not responding as warmly as he might wish.

Recent polling shows the Liberals holding on to western Sydney seats Labor was keen to pilfer.

The ALP had a hard starts in Western Australia when three high-profile MPs quit this election, and the Liberals appeared safe.

However, disapproval of the Liberal state government and the fact Labor’s support was so low it could only go up, have alarmed the Liberals who are in tougher fights than expected.

And in Tasmania, economic discontent is putting at risk what had been considered an almost Coleman sweep of Lower House seats by the Liberals.