Bill Shorten visits Mitcham family after Scott Morrison calls federal election 2019

Labor kicked off its federal election campaign in Mitcham this morning with Opposition Leader Bill Shorten chatting with a “fair dinkum” family. But he wasn’t in a talkative mood for the assembled media throng.

Opposition leader Bill Shorten (second right) and Deputy Leader Tanya Plibersek (second left) and Labor Candidate for Deakin, Shireen Morris (right) speak with Jacqui Davis at her home in Mitcham. Photo: Daniel Pockett

Labor kicked off its federal election campaign in Deakin this morning with Opposition Leader Bill Shorten chatting with a “fair dinkum” family.

Joined by his deputy Tanya Plibersek and the party’s Deakin candidate Shireen Morris, Mr Shorten said he was beginning his campaign in the eastern Melbourne suburb of Mitcham with a “fair dinkum” family, because the working parents of two young boys represented Labor’s focus.

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“We’ve made a conscious decision to start the 2019 campaign in the family lounge room of an everyday Australian family,” he said.

Bill Shorten met Richard, Jacqui, Tom and Peter Davis at their Mitcham home. Photo: Vince Caligiuri/Getty Images

“This is who this election is about.

“I get what’s going on in Australian families.”

Mr Shorten said his party could manage the economy in the interests of working and middle-class Australians as he made his first official campaign pitch ahead of the May 18 election.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten and Deputy Leader Tanya Plibersek with Jacqui and Richard Davis at their home in Mitcham. Photo: Daniel Pockett

“The election has been called and today the case to vote Labor is that we will deliver more jobs, better health and education, take real action on climate change and renewable energy and help push energy prices down,” he said.

“We’ll get on top of cost living burdens and get wages moving again in this country.”

Mr Shorten sat with the couple to discuss wages and the cost of living, particularly the costs surrounding public school excursions and camps.

“Just because it’s a middle class area, it doesn’t mean people aren’t doing it hard,” he said

Homeowner Jacqui Davis said she was excited Labor had chosen “a strong female candidate” to represent the electorate.

Labor candidate for Deakin Shireen Morris, Opposition Leader Bill Shorten and Deputy Leader Tanya Plibersek were in Mitcham today. Photo: Daniel Pockett

Labor candidate Shireen Morris will compete to take the seat from Liberal Federal MP Michael Sukkar, who has held it since 2013.

But the Labor trio weren’t in a talkative mood for the assembled media throng, with Mr Shorten taking only three questions posed by reporters — one on the chances of winning Deakin, one on negative gearing and the last on MPs in Queensland being gagged about talking about Adani’s bid to start mining in Queensland.