Scott Morrison has accused the opposition leader of not presenting his true self ahead of the upcoming federal election, as speculation mounts about when the prime minister will call the poll.
While the prime minister attempted to shrug off concerns voiced by his own MPs about his popularity, Mr Morrison accused Labor leader Anthony Albanese of attempting to avoid scrutiny before the election.
"Anthony Albanese has ducked and weaved, he's pretending to be everybody under the sun except himself," he told reporters in Avalon, outside of Melbourne, on Friday.
"Election campaigns are an opportunity for Australians to make a choice ... you make a choice about who you're going to vote for and that choice has a consequence."
Speculation continues to mount on when Mr Morrison will call the election, with Australians set to go to the polls on either May 14 or May 21.
The prime minister said it would not be far away when the election was called.
"Electoral terms are for three years. The last election was on May 18 (2019) and the next election will be held about the same time," Mr Morrison said.
On Friday afternoon, parliamentary officials issued a program for the scheduled House of Representatives sitting starting on Monday.
The draft legislation program focuses on budget-related bills over the four-day sitting, but also includes much-vaunted anti-trolling laws and cuts to business red tape.
A May 21 election would not need to be called until after next week.
Mr Albanese accused the prime minister of attempting to delay the election so taxpayer funds could still be used for government advertising.
"This absurdity of not having the election called so that they can continue to spend taxpayer funds on election ads that are in the name of the government, but they're really about promoting the Liberal National parties ... call the election, let the Australian people decide," he told reporters in Adelaide.
"I feel like putting in a phone call to the prime minister if he doesn't know where the Governor-General lives, and offer him a lift."
Mr Albanese also criticised the government making numerous last-minute appointments of former Liberal MPs and coalition staffers to Commonwealth bodies.
"Surely there are now no more Liberal former state MPs, federal MPs, local councillors or mayors to appoint to these bodies," he said.
Meanwhile, Liberal MP Katie Allen said voters weren't happy with the prime minister and that his unpopularity could hurt re-election chances for Liberals in key Victorian seats.
Ms Higgins represents the Melbourne seat of Higgins, a must win electorate for the coalition, with the Liberals only holding it by 3.8 per cent.
Mr Morrison conceded not all of his policies had been fully accepted by voters and said he was not perfect.
Labor's candidate for the hotly contested Sydney seat of Hughes has pulled out following citizenship concerns.
Peter Tsambalas withdrew from the race after fears he could fall foul of section 44 of the constitution, which prevents someone standing for parliament if they have citizenship to another country.
Mr Tsambalas acquire a dual citizenship with Greece through his migrant parents.
The prime minister is also awaiting the result of a special leave application to the High Court by expelled NSW Liberal member Matthew Camenzuli.
Mr Camenzuli is challenging the federal executive's ability to intervene in the selection of NSW Liberal candidates for the election.
A federal panel comprising Mr Morrison, NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet and former party president Chris McDiven stepped in to save ministers Sussan Ley and Alex Hawke, and backbencher Trent Zimmerman from being dumped as candidates.
The High Court will decide whether to allow special leave to hear the application at 4pm on Friday.
