Shorten's election snag sparks controversy

Bill Shorten has been panned on social media for his distinctly un-Australian approach to eating a sausage.

The opposition leader was campaigning at a western Sydney school on Saturday when, like many Australian voters, he grabbed a snag in a crusty breadroll.

With the cameras were rolling Mr Shorten then somewhat awkwardly bit into the middle of the roll, rather than the end.

The unusual sausage-eating style has created a mini-storm on Twitter, with many pouring scorn on the Labor leader.

"This Shorten sausage eating situation is probably the lowest moment we have ever seen in politics", a Twitter user named Apoplectic Pedro commented.

"If Bill Shorten can't eat a sausage sanga properly how can he run the country?" asked Philip Grylls.

As the tweets kept coming Mr Shorten was on a flight to Melbourne and unaware of the minor controversy he'd created.

But there was still time to recover from the gaffe.

"Thank god Bill Shorten has three more sausage sizzles to redeem himself. This was just the test run", tweeted Sian Luxford.