Federal election: Anthony Albanese takes a shot at rabble Liberal Party under Scott Morrison

Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese has taken a shot at Scott Morrison’s leadership to deflect criticism from former prime minister John Howard, who says Labor lacks policy substance.

While touring a Mother’s Day market in the blue-blood NSW seat of Bennelong on Sunday, which was once held by Mr Howard, Mr Albanese said he was not bothered by the former prime minister calling him a “left-wing inner-city bomb thrower” in an election attack.

Instead, he attacked the division within the Coalition.

“I respectfully am untroubled by John Howard’s comments,” he said.

“If he was sitting in the Caucus today, he would not recognise the rabble that is the Liberal Party under Scott Morrison.

“John Howard led his party in a way that Scott Morrison never has and never will.”

It comes a day before early voting opens on Monday, with Labor and the Coalition failing to release each party’s policy costings ahead of pre-polling.

Mr Albanese told reporters the Opposition’s costings would be released “in the usual way” by the May 21 poll, while accusing Mr Morrison for holding off on his campaign launch and policy number until after Australians had started casting their votes.

“We have no idea what their costings are. We have no idea what their commitments are,” Mr Albanese told reporters on Sunday, a day before pre-polling begins.

“Scott Morrison is waiting for people to have voted for a week before he outlines what his costings are.”

When asked if budget deficits would be higher or lower under a Labor government — after it was reported the Opposition’s budget bottom line would be $10 billion worse off over four years — Mr Albanese said his party’s spending would be focused in areas that provided an economic return.

“What we know is that the government has committed a lot more spending than we have on just about every single day of this election campaign,” he said.

“What we know also is that Labor has prioritised spending in areas that will produce future income.

“Child care (funding) will produce additional revenue by women being able to work five days a week, by growth in productivity and growth in company profits.”

Mr Albanese also confirmed Labor would match the Coalition’s $53 million support package for IVF services for cancer patients if he wins the election.

“When the government comes up with a good policy, we are prepared to support it,” Mr Albanese said.

“We don’t want people to be in a position whereby they are having to face those options - that financial support for them in my mind is a commonsense position going forward.”