Scott Morrison squeezed in a last-minute visit to Newcastle on Wednesday as he prepared to launch the federal election campaign.
The Prime Minister toured Cardiff manufacturing firm Nupress and was planning to mingle with punters and the party faithful at Edgeworth Tavern in the evening.
With nothing to announce, it was not immediately clear why Mr Morrison was in town. His office gave the media virtually no advance warning of his arrival.
The Coalition's candidates for Shortland and Hunter, Nell McGill and James Thomson, joined him at Nupress, and party members were invited to break bread with the boss at the pub.
Mr Morrison is expected to visit the Governor-General this weekend to call the election for May 14 or 21 after ruling out doing so on Thursday.
He came under renewed pressure from Labor leader Anthony Albanese, who was campaigning in Perth, over his handling of preselections in NSW and more damaging comments from NSW Liberal MP Catherine Cusack about his character.
Ms Cusack said on Tuesday that she would not vote for Mr Morrison next month because of his "ruthless bullying" and politicisation of the state's flood crises.
The former Parliamentary Secretary for the Hunter has been critical of the government for excluding Byron Bay, Ballina and Tweed from federal disaster payments, a decision reversed last month.
Asked on Wednesday why people in his own party continued to criticise his character, Mr Morrison said: "I understand why Catherine, who has been devastated by these floods, absolutely devastated, would be upset, because I made very clear last night she was unfamiliar with the significant support we have provided, and the Premier has made similar comments today."
The government allocated $750 million to the Hunter in last week's budget under an 11-year program targeting four export-oriented regions.
Mr Morrison said on Wednesday that the funding, almost half of which has gone to the Muswellbrook bypass and planning for a hydrogen manufacturing hub in Newcastle, was evidence the government "believes strongly in the future of the Hunter".
Nupress supplies precision engine parts and ground support equipment for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program.
The Prime Minister said it was an example of a highly skilled Hunter company contributing to national security and employing government-supported trainees.
"I know our economic plan is working because I know Australians are in work, and they are particularly in work here in the Hunter with training opportunities and skill opportunities and job opportunities that are growing every single year," he said.
