We have an early campaign zinger.

Federal politics tragics will recall Bill Shorten’s penchant for a bit of zing when he was opposition leader, which led to a segment on ABC satire show Mad as Hell dedicated to “Bill’s Zingers”.

Morrison has tried his hand this morning, referring to Liberal Parramatta candidate Maria Kovacic as the “real eel” – a reference to NRL side the Parramatta Eels – as he talked up her local roots.

“She’s from Western Sydney. She’s run businesses in Western Sydney. She’s raised a family here in Western Sydney. She is Western Sydney through and through,” Morrison said.

“She’s the real deal. She’s the real eel.”

The point, of course, is to strike a contrast with Labor’s candidate Dr Andrew Charlton – Albanese’s pick for the seat – who lives in Bellevue Hill, in Sydney’s wealthy eastern suburbs. Charlton served as an economics adviser to then-prime minister Kevin Rudd.

Albanese has previously defended the preselection, saying Charlton has an “extraordinary capacity” to represent Parramatta.