Liberal frontbencher Jane Hume can't say if voters are worried about trans athletes in sport as the government closes ranks around its controversial candidate in the Sydney seat of Warringah.
Senator Hume told Sky that Labor was the only one raising the issue by attacking the candidate Katherine Deves, who has a long and recent history of transphobic comments.
The senator said sex discrimination legislation was clear on the issue, which doesn't bar sporting codes from creating women's only leagues, and the government had no plans to change those laws.
"Labor keep raising it over and over again because they're trying to disparage the candidate for Warringah," Senator Hume told Sky.
Labor's Clare O'Neil said she didn't know why the Liberals were talking about it then.
"I'm trying to understand why you think this is something that needs to be prioritised," Ms O'Neil said.
Major sporting codes have not raised concerns about trans women playing in women's leagues but the issue has come to the fore since the candidacy of Ms Deves.
She has called trans children "mutilated", compared her campaign on trans women in sport to opposing the Holocaust, and linked cross-dressing and gender transitioning to serial killing and sex offending.
Several Liberals, including NSW Treasurer Matt Kean, have called for Ms Deves to be dumped, as the candidate avoids public appearances after her comments surfaced.
Meanwhile, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg says cost of living pressures are challenging many Australians as his government and Labor battle it out over their economic plans.
The federal treasurer wouldn't say if Australians were better off after three years of the Morrison government but pointed to low unemployment, higher economic growth and hopes of real wages growth in the future.
"No one would say it's easy now, what I'm saying is right now, it's challenging for many Australians," he told Nine on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Mr Frydenberg waved off concerns about the ballot order in his seat of Kooyong, with the treasurer seventh on the 11-candidate ballot while his high-profile independent opponent Monique Ryan took pole position.
"There's the luck of the draw when it comes to the ballot, you just accept it and you move on," Mr Frydenberg told ABC News.
Both parties have offered more cash splashes to woo voters, with the coalition pledging $20 million for more camping and fishing facilities while Labor wants to put $15 million in opening more language courses at weekend schools.
Elsewhere, Anthony Albanese is confident he will hit the ground running when he emerges from COVID-19 isolation next week, just in time for Labor's campaign launch.
The opposition's campaign has been dealt a major blow after Mr Albanese tested positive for the virus, with Labor frontbenchers stepping in for the next few days.
Instead deputy leader Richard Marles is touring Brisbane with local candidates and Labor frontbenchers.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison will spend day 13 of the campaign in marginal seats on the NSW Central Coast, beginning on Saturday with a tour of the town of Terrigal.
© AAP 2022