Former Prime Minister Tony Abbott has had a miserable start to the first day of his federal election campaign - sworn at by an angry commuter as he handed out leaflets in the rain.

As Mr Abbott greeted commuters in his electorate of Warringah at Manly ferry wharf on Monday morning, he was confronted by a bystander who unleashed a torrent of abuse at him.

In footage sent to Pedestrian, the anonymous man films himself greeting Mr Abbott before saying: 'You're a homophobic dinosaur why don't you f*** off and die?'

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Former Prime Minister Tony Abbott was verbally abused by an commuter at Manly Wharf on Monday morning

'You're a homophobic dinosaur why don't you f*** off and die,' the anonymous man said to Mr Abbott - who grinned throughout the ordeal

Mr Abbott begun his first day of the campaign handing out flyers to early-morning commuters in the rain at Sydney's Manly Wharf

The man behind the camera, who has remained anonymous, was the subject of considerable outrage from social media users unimpressed with the harsh threat.

'Tony sucks but so does insulting/wishing death on a guy from behind the safety of your mobile phone,' wrote one man.

'Whoever filmed this should take a look at themselves. I'm no Abbott fan ... But take the higher ground, I say. You don't wish death upon anyone,' added another.

The lonesome scene painted a stark comparison to his 2013 election campaign when he was surrounded by his loving family, supportive voters and a media storm.

Joined by just a handful of Liberal Party volunteers, it shows just how much has changed since Mr Abbott was ousted from the top job during a leadership challenge in a spill motion last September.

Frances Abbott joins her father at Sydney Markets just days of campaigning before Federal Election in 2013

Barry O'Farrell (left) and Frances join Mr Abbott on the campaign at Sydney Markets on September 4, 2013

Mr Abbott - who began the election as Opposition Leader three years ago - wrote on social media: 'It's good to be at Manly Wharf on day 1 of the Federal Election campaign'.

He shared a photograph of himself handing out pamphlets to passersby as his social media post has been met with a mix of support and negative comments.

One person wrote: 'Look at that everyone, after everything the Liberals did to Tony, he is still out there in the rain supporting them. You're nothing but a legend Tony. I love how active you still are with the Liberals.'

Another said: 'Tony your Integrity is immeasurable, God Bless you Mate. That grubby bunch called the Liberal Party does Not deserve your loyalty.'

A Twitter user posted: 'That moment when @TonyAbbottMHR is campaigning outside the ferry terminal and asks for your vote.... Hmmmmm.'

Mr Abbott was surrounded by his daughter Frances (left), supportive voters and a media storm just days leading up to his federal election in 2013

Barry O'Farrell and Frances joined the then Opposition Leader Mr Abbott on the campaign at Sydney Markets

Meanwhile, Malcolm Turnbull tucked into some watermelon at the first stop on his campaign trail, safely avoiding any mishaps with onions or lettuce.

The prime minister couldn't refuse to sample some of the luscious fruit at the Brisbane Produce Market in the marginal seat of Moreton on Monday morning.

'Oh come on, have a try,' a fruit vendor called to the PM, who had stopped at the stall to inspect some of the melons.

At the Brisbane Produce Market, held by Labor's Graham Perrett since 2007, Mr Turnbull inspected the produce and chomped on a piece of watermelon as he signed photos and chatted with workers.

He reminisced his first job where he once stacked watermelons onto trucks during his youthful years.

'I started work with a banana merchant and ended up working for a watermelon guy... carting watermelons on and off trucks certainly builds your arms up', Mr Turnbull recalled.

As the Australian election campaign kicks off, Malcolm Turnbull has spent his first day during an early- morning visit at the Brisbane Produce Market in the seat of Moreton on Monday

During an early-morning visit to the market, Mr Turnbull was well received during his hour with fruit and vegetable sellers although one business owner warned the prime minister he had to start paying some bills.

Turnbull defended his decision not to mention climate change in his opening re-election pitch when he headed to the Liberal marginal seat of Petrie.

The issue was not raised on Sunday when Mr Turnbull announced an election would be held on July 2.

'Climate change is very important. We have a good climate change policy. We are meeting our targets,' he told reporters in the marginal Liberal seat of Petrie in Brisbane on Monday.

He'll later head to the Liberal marginal seat of Bonner while his deputy Julie Bishop spruiks free-trade deals in the NSW bellwether seat of Eden-Monaro.

Mr Turnbull spent his first day reminiscing his youthful job where he once stacked watermelons onto trucks

Mr Turnbull receives a piece of watermelon during a morning visit to the Brisbane Produce Market in the seat of Morton in Brisbane on Monday

Both Mr Turnbull and Labor leader Bill Shorten are in Queensland on the first full day of the marathon eight-week federal election campaign.

Mr Shorten is kick-starting his campaign talking about education at a Cairns school in the Liberal-Nationals seat of Leichhardt.

He's expected to head to Townsville, centre of the LNP electorate Herbert, later on Monday.

The latest Newspoll has Labor ahead of the coalition 51-49 per cent after preferences, while a Fairfax-Ipsos poll has them 50-50.

Both polls show Mr Turnbull is still the preferred prime minister with voters.

The tight nature of the polls is no surprise to Finance Minister Mathias Cormann.

'The election was always going to be close, it means that every vote matters and it means that people will have to weigh up very carefully the choice they make,' he told ABC radio on Monday.

The Prime Minister inspected the produce and chomped on a piece of watermelon as he signed photos and chatted with workers on Monday morning in Brisbane on the first day of his election campaign

Mr Turnbull was well received during his hour with fruit and vegetable sellers although one business owner warned the prime minister he had to start paying some bills

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten spoke with Beaconsfield Mine survivors Todd Russell and Brant Webb at the Waterfront Hotel during a visit to Beauty Point in Tasmania on Sunday

The opposition leader's campaign bus is seen at Cairns Airport in tropical North Queensland on Monday

Labor frontbencher Jason Clare says it will be a 'hard slog' for Labor to pick up the 21 seats it needs to win majority government.

'We have to fight hard to win the support and the respect of the Australian people,' he told the Seven Network.

The Fairfax-Ipsos poll has Labor's primary vote at 33 per cent, seven points lower than its peak in January 2015.

Senior Labor MP Anthony Albanese had a frank assessment of that figure: 'If our primary vote is 33, not only will we not win, we'll have a very bad outcome', he told ABC radio.