Treasurer Scott Morrison accused Labor of declaring "war on business" and using "tax as their bullets" at the exact moment the first of two RAAF planes carrying the remains of Australian soldiers touched down on home soil.

The war rhetoric had been building for a few days but, amid its own woes over superannuation, the Coalition chose Thursday of all days to elevate this punchy and angry stuff to its main campaign grab.

It was a staggering display of oblivious timing on the day that the remains of 25 Australian soldiers – who actually died in war, some from bullets – and eight family members were being repatriated.