PM denies he's embarrassed on climate

Labor has accused the government of being left in the wake of business and industry getting on with delivering net zero emissions, with clean energy advocate and businessman Mike Cannon-Brookes being the latest example as he takes a 11 per cent stake in energy firm AGL.

As the prime minister battles to save key seats from independents campaigning on a stronger climate stance, Mr Morrison said the government had taken significant action on climate change.

The prime minister began the day campaigning in the seat of Dunkley, southeast of Melbourne, which is held by Labor by 2.7 per cent.

Visiting a local fruit and vegetable shop with Liberal candidate Sharn Coombes, Mr Morrison said the coalition had put up an "economic shield" for Australians against the rising cost of living.

Mr Morrison said the government's net-zero emissions target by 2050 had struck the right balance on affordable energy.

"(Power prices) have fallen over 10 per cent since I became prime minister," he said.

"Those electricity prices is what they pay here to keep the fridges on and keep people employed."

He said action on power prices had been among the measures insulating people from increasing costs.

"If you don't support reliable, affordable energy and don't have balanced targets on these things, you're going to put more pressure on families and households and small businesses," he told reporters.

"If you allow electricity prices to rise by having unbalanced emissions reduction targets, then the price of (food) goes up, it just all goes up."

While visiting the fruit and vegetable store, the shop's owner told the prime minister the cost of food in the store was expected to rise in coming months.

Mr Morrison helped to pack an online order at the store, while also speaking to workers.

However, he was briefly heckled by some shoppers in the store at the time, with one shouting "go Albo", while another described him as "Scotty from marketing".

Labor climate spokesman Chris Bowen said business was setting a clear direction on cutting emissions.

"Business and industry are way ahead of the government, getting on with the job of transitioning to net zero and leaving the federal government in their wake," he said.

Mr Morrison spent Tuesday campaigning in Melbourne in key marginal seats.

He then spoke at an event in the electorate of Chisholm in Melbourne's east, where he was given a rockstar reception from the crowd of multicultural organisations.

"It doesn't matter if you came to Australia 230 years ago or 230 days ago, the migrant story of Australia is an Australian story," he told the crowd.

"I vow to continue to seek to protect the values of community, the values of faith in your communities and not see those traded away on other issues."

The prime minister also told the event of multicultural groups of the large numbers of Ukrainian citizens looking to flee the country in the wake of Russia's invasion.

"There are 40,000 Australians of Ukrainian descent, and they know better than any of the challenges and uncertainties the world faces today, and Australia is standing with the people of Ukraine," he said.

Australian Associated Press