Anthony Albanese has rebuffed claims Labor had moved to dump its plan to review the JobSeeker payment, but admitted huge government debt would constrain any policy change.
The opposition leader said while Labor did not have a plan for raising the unemployment payment of $46 a day in its first budget, should the party win the election, reviews would be conducted in subsequent years.
Speaking to reporters in Melbourne on the third day of the election campaign, Mr Albanese said suggestions Labor would dump the review were wrong.
Labor frontbencher Andrew Leigh told a welfare sector forum on Tuesday that Labor had not committed to an increase and had no plan for an independent review "at this stage".
"We can't do everything given the circumstances we are in," Mr Albanese said.
"If we are fortunate enough to form government, we will form government at a time where debt's heading towards $1 trillion, whereby you can't repair all of the damage."
However, the opposition leader said he knew what it was like to live on a fixed income.
Mr Albanese said each payment such as JobSeeker would be reviewed in every budget going forward.
The Labor leader was campaigning in the seat of Melbourne at a rally of healthcare workers, where Mr Albanese pledged a trial of 50 urgent care clinics across the country, offering an alternative to busy hospital emergency departments.
The clinics would treat patients needing care for problems like broken bones, minor burns and cuts, in a bid to free up clogged emergency departments.
Introducing Mr Albanese at the rally, Labor deputy leader Richard Marles said the party would back the health system should they win government.
"Australians will choose who they wake up with on May 22: Morrison or Medicare," he said.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Scott Morrison began his day in the electorate of Lindsay in western Sydney, visiting a manufacturing facility.
He is expected to jet interstate later in the day to spruik two $125 million grants to be matched by refineries in Brisbane and Victoria to begin major construction to upgrade facilities.
Mr Morrison told a Geelong radio station that Labor's health policy was identical to a proposal previously pitched by former Labor prime minister Kevin Rudd.
Health Minister Greg Hunt said the previous Labor government promised 65 "super clinics", but only delivered 33, with a damning auditor-general's report criticising the $650 million plan.
In Queensland, former coalition MP George Christensen signalled he's making a comeback ahead of the May 21 poll and joining One Nation.
One Nation leader Pauline Hanson said Mr Christensen would be third on the party's Senate ticket in Queensland.
Mr Christensen had previously announced he would be retiring from his seat of Dawson and earlier this month resigned from the LNP.
Queensland coalition senator Matt Canavan said it was a cowardly decision.
"It's desertion ... you don't go off and speak to a minor party," he told Nine Network on Wednesday.
Mr Christensen is unlikely to pick up a Senate seat without a strong "vote below the line" campaign.
