Shorten can't pay, claims Julie Bishop

If this is going to be an education election, it will be to highlight that Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has made promises he can't meet, Deputy Liberal leader Julie Bishop says.

Ms Bishop, visiting Geelong in the Liberal-held electorate of Corangamite which Labor hopes to recover, said on Saturday all federal elections were close and this one will be no different.

She said Mr Shorten, who's declared education will be a key election issue, had made promises that could not be funded.

"If it's an education election, it will be to highlight that Bill shorten has made promises, raised expectations that he can't meet," she told reporters in Geelong.

Ms Bishop said the coalition had increased funding to education but more importantly, had found the savings to pay for it.

"We have increased funding for education that's been paid for, not pie in the sky promises that Bill shorten has made that haven't been paid for."