Anthony Albanese stumbles on rates, while Alan Tudge dogs Scott Morrison

On the first full day of the official campaign, the resurgent Labor leader has been stung by gotcha questions he should have expected. This while the curious matter of Alan Tudge and his post-election job prospects dogs the Prime Minister Scott Morrison. But more on that later.

But for Mr Albanese it was not the price of bread, milk or petrol. He said he was ready for those cost of living perennials - the questions his opponent got whacked over earlier this year at the National Press Club.

Under the bright lights of the campaign, the travelling media pack pop-quizzed the opposition leader on economic management.

He was asked if he knew the official Reserve Bank cash rate "off the top of your head".

Three times he was asked. (hint: it is 0.1 per cent) but he did not answer.

It got rowdy.

"One at a time, polite please - I'm not Scott Morrison, I don't run away from press conferences, OK? We'll do it in order. Everyone will get one," he said.

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So then came the real stinger.

"What's the national unemployment rate?" he was asked. This one only had to be asked once.

"The national unemployment rate at the moment is ... I think it's five point ... four ... sorry I'm not sure what it is," Mr Albanese stammered.

Yeah, it is a straight four per cent. An historic low that the Morrison government has been trumpeting.

Ashen-faced, Labor's finance spokeswoman Katy Gallagher later got it right.

It goes without saying that this feeds directly into the Morrison government's economic management mantra. One could imagine it was being clipped up for attack ads before the press conference ended.

You can expect the government will be lording this and putting it on high rotation straight through to May 21.

Asked, conveniently later, about the cash and unemployment rate, Mr Morrison was smiling and ready. He got the 0.1 and 4 per cent.

But again, remember Mr Morrison gave ample evidence in February he was just as out of touch, perhaps even more. He could not give any price for the basic items of petrol and bread. The Prime Minister obviously does not buy them personally.

Later Mr Albanese tried to take it on the chin while walking around Devonport. "Earlier today, I made a mistake. I'm human. But when I make a mistake, I'll fess up to it," he said among the camera crush.

One saving grace from this for Labor is that it has happened very early in the campaign. And just when the Prime Minister was on the immediate backfoot over his confusing handling of sidelined minister Alan Tudge.

The questions keep coming. Is Mr Tudge still a cabinet member? Well, yes he is.

"He still has his warrant as a minister from the Governor-General, and as a result, he's formally still the education minister," Mr Morrison told the ABC.

And he is running for re-election in Aston but he is still effectively on leave. Mr Morrison insisted the Thom review made no adverse findings against Mr Tudge. But it is important to point out that Rachelle Miller, his former lover, did not cooperate with her side of events because she felt the inquiry smacked of a "political fix."

Regardless, she has received a tax-payer funded payout of over $500,000 but we are told there is nothing to see here and there is "nothing to prevent" Mr Tudge returning to the frontbench.

Early days, but there's more to go on both these leadership trouble spots.