Turnbull avoiding scrutiny, says Shorten

Malcolm Turnbull has been the Scarlet Pimpernel of the election campaign, says Bill Shorten.

The prime minister has declined to take part in a number of events with the Labor leader, who compared Mr Turnbull to an evasive French revolution novel character.

"He has been the Scarlet Pimpernel of this election - just pinning him down is harder than I thought it would be," Mr Shorten told reporters in Hobart on Friday.