Pubgoer who abused PM 'very upset about a complicated case'

Scott Morrison has said a man who abused him at a pub in Newcastle last night was "very upset about a complicated case".

Mr Morrison was given a roasting from the disability pensioner at the Edgeworth Tavern in Newcastle last night in front of a large media contingent.

The man raised issues over immigration and his pension, as well as the need for a federal integrity commission in the feisty exchange at the Lake Macquarie venue.

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He grew angry at some attempts by others to intervene, intent on getting things off his chest with Mr Morrison.

"You'd better f---ing do something," the punter was heard to say.

"I'm sick of your bulls---."

"This is what you said when you got elected last time: 'We're going help all those people that worked all their lives, paid their taxes and those that have a go, get a go'.

"Well I've had a go."

Mr Morrison appeared to remain calm throughout the run-in, before eventually directing the man to speak to one of his aides.

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"I was keen to understand what he was saying to me and I believe we have," he said on Thursday.

"It is a complicated case but we will see how we might be able to assist and progress that."

He said he otherwise received a "very welcome reception" at the Edgeworth Tavern.

"As you move around, I like hearing from people," he said.

"I hear from people all the time."

Speaking to Today this morning, independent senator Jacqui Lambie urged the Prime Minister to "get out of his office more" if he wanted to avoid voter backlash.

Senator Lambie said the rising cost of living was causing frustration among Australians and politicians are facing a backlash in the run-up to the May election.

"Maybe the PM should get out of his office more often and not just election time. That's what the rest of us have to do. Maybe he won't be heckled as much," she said.

"People are doing it really tough ... So there is going to be a problem. So there is going to be abuse ... going on through the election."

The man was not the only person in the pub ready to lambast the prime minister.

Mr Morrison agreed to pose for a selfie with a woman but instead she took a video of the pair, with a mocking insult.

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"Congratulations on being the worst prime minister we've ever had," she said in the three second video.

The video ends before Mr Morrison's reaction could be seen.

It was an unhappy reception for Mr Morrison, who was hoping to pick up votes in Edgeworth for the marginal Labor seat of Hunter.

Hunter has been held by Labor since 1910, but the Liberals are hoping the retirement of Joel Fitzgibbon will give the party an opening.

The incident came in the lead-up to Mr Morrison's expected announcement of a federal election later this week.