In a cancer treatment ward, surrounded by machines and drugs, the election seems a world away.
But for three patients in Redcliffe Hospital, in Brisbane's northern suburbs, the election came to them when Bill Shorten visited on Thursday.
The hospital is in Liberal-held seat of Petrie but Labor hopes its candidate Corinne Mulholland can overcome the slim 1.65 per cent margin.
The Labor leader held hands with Debbie Tremble, who was having her second round of chemotheraphy while one of her daughters gave birth in the maternity wing nearby.
"That's fantastic, something to look forward to," Mr Shorten told her.
She said Labor's commitment to increase access to bulk-billed cancer care and scans meant a lot to someone going through treatment.
He replied he wanted people to worry about getting better, not about the money.
Chatting with Barbara Hotham, who was there for her very first treatment to fight breast cancer, Mr Shorten said he thought a lot of people weren't paying attention to the five-week election campaign any more.
"A week to go, a lot of people have tuned out, they've got other things to think about, that's understandable," he told her.
Later, Mr Shorten told reporters he also thought some people were turned off by the negativity in the campaign.
"Also, what I was thinking in an oncology ward, is these people there are in the battle of their lives," he said.
"When you get that news, I tell you what, you're not greatly fussed about what order a how-to-vote card is in, are you?"
Those thoughts on the state of the campaign didn't stop him from hitting out at Scott Morrison and the coalition's "threadbare real agenda".
"All that man can do is talk about us!" Mr Shorten scoffed.
Later, he continued on the theme while returning to his union roots, addressing workers in freight company ACFS Port Logistics near Brisbane airport.
He boiled his party's offerings down to cracking down on labour hire firms, boosting the minimum wage and giving families more help with childcare fees, while cracking a few jokes about Clive Palmer and his giant billboards.
"Gee they're a lazy bunch, this current government," he said to the young, hi-vis-clad workers standing in a warehouse surrounded by piles of pallets.
"Basically they can tell you 10 different reasons why they don't like us, they can't tell you one reason what they're going to do for you."
He was flanked by Labor's candidate for Bonner, Jo Briskey, who is running against Ross Vasta who has won and lost the seat for the Liberals in recent years.
He currently holds it by 3.4 per cent.
Mr Shorten also revealed he has spoken with former Beaconsfield miners Brant Webb and Todd Russell during the election campaign, which coincides with the anniversary of their time trapped in the Tasmanian mine.
As leader of the Australian Workers Union at the time, Mr Shorten shot to national prominence during the 2006 disaster.
