Federal Labor leader Bill Shorten has defended Queensland leader Annastacia Palaszczuk's GST stumble, saying she's not the one with plans to broaden the tax.
Ms Palaszczuk was taking part in a 60-second quiz on breakfast radio on the phone from Townsville on Thursday when she was asked to name the rate at which GST is calculated.
"Pass," she replied.
The hosts later questioned how a politician would not know such a basic figure.
When asked whether he was embarrassed about her gaffe, Mr Shorten said it was always possible to make slip-ups in election campaigns.
"I think the issue though with the GST which deserves the attention is the question that the Abbott Liberals in Canberra set out in early January an orchestrated campaign to open the question of putting a tax on fresh food - a GST on fresh food - and other items which are not currently taxed," he said.
"Why don't they just rule out a GST on fresh food and other items not currently attracting GST?"
When pressed on whether it was an embarrassing mistake given it occurred on the same day Labor plans to release its election costings, Mr Shorten said the real embarrassment was Tony Abbott's absence from Queensland during the campaign.
Mr Abbott was "more likely to visit Greenland than Queensland", he said.
Premier Campbell Newman said Ms Palaszczuk's GST pass showed the difference between the LNP and Labor's economic credentials.
"I heard that and people will draw their own conclusions," he said.
"I know full well the rate. Again, this campaign is crystallising the contest about people in the LNP who have the clear economic and financial management credentials to create jobs, to fund the future, versus the Labor party who do not have credibility."
Ms Palaszczuk was given a second chance at the question during a media conference in Gladstone.
"The GST is 10 per cent," she laughed.
"Oh look, I did three radio interviews, didn't have my coffee. These things happen."
