Federal Election: Shorten pledges extra $2.8 billion for health

Bill Shorten has promised Australians he won't let them down as Labor promised to flood an extra $2.8 billion into state hospitals.

At a volunteer rally that effectively doubled as a campaign launch, the Labor leader told the party faithful he had ripped up the rule book for being in opposition.

"We decided we couldn't just sit back and wait for the other side to trip over their own shoelaces," he told the crowd in Sydney today.

"Australian politics has to be a better destination."

It was Mr Shorten's third visit to the Liberal-held seat of Reid in three days - so far he has not visited a Labor seat in the four days of the campaign.

Deputy Labor leader Tanya Plibersek featured heavily in the rally, as Labor plays up the coalition's poor record with women.

She attacked the coalition for telling "lie after lie after lie" in the campaign.

"Labor doesn't need a campaign of lies about the Liberals because the truth is scary enough," she told the crowd.

Mr Shorten is counting on health funding to win votes, including a $2.8 billion promise to top up the coalition's health agreement with the states so Canberra pays half of health costs.

Labor also promised to seek a new agreement with the states that would return to a 50/50 funding split over time.

"To people stuck in hospital waiting lists, we will not let you down," Mr Shorten said.

"I cannot promise these people that victory is assured.

"I can most certainly promise that my team and I will work as hard as we can every day between now and the election."

He also announced an extra $40 million for disability carers to train and get scholarships.

Mr Shorten also attacked the "gift" of franking credits, which the Centre Alliance says it will reject in the Senate unless changes are made.

Labor frontbencher Jim Chalmers said the party was seeking a mandate to change franking credit rules, but would deal with the Senate Australians vote for.