Government MPs are afraid of an almighty Labor scare campaign in the coming federal election and are thinking about how to "inoculate" themselves.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison told coalition MPs on Tuesday their own campaign would be based on achievement, plans and unity.
"You don't win an election on any one issue - we will win based on what we've done for Australia and our plans for the future," he told the joint party room meeting in Canberra.
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg urged MPs over the next five weeks "to continue their community engagement with retirees, with real estate agents, with mortgage brokers" - in other words, hitting what the coalition sees as Labor's weak points on franking credits, negative gearing and its response to the banking royal commission.
"We can win based on hard work and giving Australians the victory they need and deserve to have," he told them.
Mr Morrison encouraged his colleagues to reach out to coalition candidates and support them where possible.
Some coalition members want their colleagues to start thinking about how best to "inoculate where they can" against Labor scare campaigns - with the 2016 Mediscare still looming large in the minds of many MPs.
The government believes it has good stories to tell around listing medicines on the PBS, sorting out school funding and social services, and its party room discussed the need to convince people of this before the election started.
They also said the party had to make sure it could respond rapidly "where the Labor Party lie claiming we have cut funding in any of those areas".
The Labor caucus also touched on election preparation, with MPs urged to make sure they have finalised any announcements for their local area.
Some opposition MPs also discussed the need for an enrolment drive, raising concerns they had yet to see an official electoral commission campaign for voters to update their addresses ahead of the election expected in mid-May.
Australian Associated Press
