Day 5 of the federal election campaign

FEDERAL ELECTION CAMPAIGN: DAY 5

WHERE THE LEADERS CAMPAIGNED:

* Prime Minister Turnbull: Adelaide, in the Liberal seat of Boothby, to announce a $40 million extension to the Tonsley rail line.

* Labor leader Bill Shorten: Sydney, in the marginal Liberal seat of Reid, to spruik his message about education.

* Head to head in a televised forum of 100 swinging voters in western Sydney.

WHAT THE COALITION TALKED ABOUT:

Public transport for Adelaide; support for South Australian manufacturing; its economic plan for jobs and growth.

WHAT LABOR TALKED ABOUT:

$400 million for teaching scholarships to encourage recent graduates with science, technology, engineering and maths degrees to continue their study and become STEM teachers.

WHAT VOTERS ARE SAYING

The economy is the No.1 election campaign issue with 250,000 respondents to the ABC's Vote Compass website, followed by education, health care, the environment, retirement/seniors and immigration/asylum seekers.

WHAT'S MADE NEWS

* Tony Abbott's former chief of staff pours scorn on PM's campaign tactics.

* The High Court rejects a challenge to a new system for electing senators.

* Liberals launch attack ads on social media as more Labor candidates speak out on asylum-seeker policy.

* Real estate giants take on Shorten over his negative gearing policy.

THEY SAID WHAT?

"Do you scrunch or fold your toilet paper?"

- Adelaide radio station reporter asks the PM.

TWEETED:

"Independence Day for Walcha will always be May 12. We fought, we won and now we will celebrate."

- Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce on a decision by the NSW government not to proceed with a council amalgamation in his New England seat.