Opposition leader Anthony Albanese says if he becomes prime minister after the federal election he will ramp up the COVID-19 education campaign to encourage people to get their booster shots, on a day when Australia recorded at least another 21 COVID-related deaths.
"We are not getting the publicity that we used to get," Mr Albanese told the ABC's Insiders program.
He said the government could stop using $1 billion on political advertising spruiking their credentials, including pretending their record on climate is anything other than "abominable".
"What they should do is channel funds into making sure we promote those vaccination rates," he said.
He and half his shadow cabinet have caught COVID-19 during the campaign ahead of this Saturday's election.
"We know the infection is out there, we know that the more people that are vaccinated, the better the health outcomes will be," he says.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Scott Morrison had encouraged young Australians to shed their COVID-19 blues and return to sports fields.
He has pledged another $20 million for the Sporting Schools program which would see it expanded to include up to 700,000 students in years 9 and 10 if his government is re-elected.
Mr Morrison said Australia was heading into a time of great opportunity, and he and the government were shifting gears to secure them.
"We need to get (children) off those phones and get them on the field," he said.
"They can have fun with their devices ... but we want them out there running around.
"We are moving into a golden decade of major events for sport in this country."
This month will see international soccer powerhouse FC Barcelona head down to the Pacific for the first time for a friendly in Sydney.
Australia, along with New Zealand, will also host the Women's Soccer World Cup in July next year.
COVID-19 numbers
Nationally, in the last 24 hours, there were at least another 41,942 COVID-19 cases reported, with 21 deaths.
Western Australia, recorded 12,399 cases, the most of any state, with four deaths, and 294 in hospital, 10 of them in intensive care units.
In Victoria, the health department said there were 10,197 new cases and 10 deaths, the most of any state. There are 528 people in hospital in the state, with 27 in ICU.
NSW reported 9,036 new cases and four deaths on Saturday. There are 1,377 people in hospital, with 59 in ICU.
Queensland reported 4,812 new cases and two deaths. There are 417 people in hospital, with 17 in ICU.
South Australia had 3796 cases, with no deaths. There were 231 in hospital, with nine of them in ICU
In Tasmania, 817 new cases were reported on Saturday, with one death. Forty-seven people are in hospital in the state, with one in ICU.
The ACT had 885 cases on Saturday, with no deaths, 75 in hospital, six of them in ICU. The Northern Territory is yet to report their latest numbers.
