Federal opposition Leader Bill Shorten has launched Labor's election campaign in a marginal west Sydney seat.
In front of party members and several former prime ministers, Mr Shorten put Medicare at the heart of his campaign.
It was a rousing reception for Labor leader Bill Shorten at Penrith's Joan Sutherland Theatre in the marginal west Sydney seat of Lindsay.
The opposition leader launched his party's election campaign with the pledge Putting People First.
And he said he is right behind Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull as the July the 2nd vote nears.
"Mr Turnbull says he's got this in the bag -- he claims he's already won it. I say to him, 'Never underestimate Labor. You ain't seen anything yet' -- has he! We can win, we must win. If we want to change the country for the better, we have to win."
Speaking in front of Labor Party members and supporters, Bill Shorten had the backing of former prime ministers Julia Gillard, Paul Keating and Bob Hawke.
It was Mr Hawke's legacy of establishing Medicare that proved the focal point of Mr Shorten's speech.
The opposition leader accused the Coalition of moving towards privatising Medicare and promised to stop that from ever happening.
"Piece by piece, brick by brick ... The Liberals have never liked Medicare, and they want to tear it down again. Medicare is not just another business, it is everyone's business. It belongs to all of us. It belongs in public hands. (applause ...) When you are in the fight of your life, when your family member is in the fight of their life, you need a government on your side, and we will be that government."
With 100 red-shirted supporters behind him representing what Labor calls its 100 positive policies, Mr Shorten announced new spending on jobs, health and infrastructure.
That includes new funding for mental health, the local Nepean Hospital, and for pathology and diagnostic bulk-billing.
On infrastructure, he promised $400 million for the Western Sydney rail link, along with funds for the Brisbane cross-river rail and the Melbourne metro.
Mr Shorten's jobs plan would give a substantial tax break to small businesses giving a job to long-term unemployed people, in a package valued at $257 million.
He says it could lead to 30,000 new jobs and help vulnerable groups and people from multicultural communities who are out of work.
"We have a real jobs plan and a responsible tax cut. This election is a battle for our generation of true believers. It's our time. We will be a Labor government that will always put people first. Thank you very much, ladies and gentlemen."
On the campaign trail himself in western Sydney and battling the flu, Malcolm Turnbull rejected Labor's pledges.
He says Labor's new spending promises add an extra $3.1 billion to the bottom line.
And he said Medicare is not at risk.
"Medicare will never, ever be privatised. Medicare will never, ever be sold. Every element of Medicare services that is being delivered by government today will be delivered by government in the future -- full stop. That's the fact. What Bill Shorten is doing is peddling an extraordinary lie, so audacious it defies belief."
And he accused the opposition's plan of lacking substance.
"Well, he's got negative personal attacks. I've got a plan. That's the difference. I have a plan. I have a national economic plan that will deliver jobs and growth. Every element of that is designed to do that. Every element of that, including what we've discussed today, is backing Australian businesses, backing mostly family-owned businesses like these ones that are employing, that are investing. So we have a plan."
With the election in less than two weeks, Labor remains behind in key marginal seats.
