Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has defended the government's handling of the economy, as Anthony Albanese will keep the rising cost of living in the spotlight on his first day out of COVID-19 isolation.
The opposition leader will fly to Perth on Friday to resume in-person campaigning, ahead of Labor's campaign launch on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Scott Morrison will start the day in marginal electorates in Tasmania.
In the wake of inflation rising to 5.1 per cent this week, the highest levels for two decades, Mr Frydenberg said the national economy was still going strong.
"The Australian economy has seen a remarkably strong recovery and the key indicator of that has been an unemployment rate of four per cent," he told ABC Radio on Friday.
"(Higher inflation) has been driven by international factors and that's the cold-hard reality of the situation that we face."
The cost of living has also come into a renewed focus, with the Australian Energy Market Operator saying wholesale power prices rose by 141 per cent in the first three months of this year compared to the previous year.
Rising inflation levels have led to increased speculation the Reserve Bank will raise interest rates for the first time since 2010 when it meets on Tuesday.
But Mr Frydenberg has denied he suggested the Reserve Bank should hold off making a rate rise until key wages figures were released later in May.
"I'm not saying that I will pre-empt in any way a decision of an independent board, namely of the Reserve Bank," he said.
"That is a decision for them, or them not to take at their upcoming meeting."
The treasurer said there was no silver bullet on other issues in the economy such as workforce shortages.
Meanwhile, Mr Albanese has emerged from COVID isolation on Friday after a week on the sidelines of the election campaign.
While he is expected to take it easy in the first few days after his week-long stint off the campaign trail, he will spend time in key Western Australian seats.
"Out of iso and back at it," Mr Albanese said on Twitter on Friday morning.
Labor deputy leader Richard Marles welcomed Mr Albanese's return to the campaign.
"We certainly missed having our leader on the field, we are really looking forward to Albo getting back on the park," he told the Nine Network.
"He's been beaten around a little bit by the virus, he is very chipper and he's really raring to get back into it."
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