Prime Minister Scott Morrison has denied there was a hostile reception from local residents at a Newcastle pub on Wednesday night.
Mr Morrison was confronted by a disability support pensioner at Edgeworth Tavern, where he was chastised for the level of support he's provided older Australians.
But the prime minister insisted it was "actually a very warm reception" after being asked about the exchange on Thursday morning.
"There was one gentleman, Ray, who was very upset about a complicated case, it was involving Medicare and immigration issues. It was also involving income definitions under the pension regime," Mr Morrison told reporters.
He said his staff later met the man - now identified as Ray - to assist him with his personal circumstances.
Ray yelled "listen to me for a change" as he accused Mr Morrison of failing to deliver on his election promises.
"This is what you said when you got elected last time. 'We're going help all those people that worked all their lives, paid their taxes'," he said.
"I've had a go, mate, I've worked all my life and paid my taxes.
"You can have a million-dollar house, you can have $250,000 in the bank, you can have negative gearing and franking credits, but a disability pensioner can't have any income."
The prime minister appeared calm while speaking with the man, and asked that he speak with one of his staff but the spray continued.
"You better f-----g do something. I’m sick of your bull----,” the man said.
Labor leader Anthony Albanese said people should remain polite when addressing politicians in public.
"I think people should engage politely wherever possible," he said.
"It is important in this country that we are able to have discourse and it is good that, here in Australia, we can have politicians get out and about."
The Opposition leader's comments come after he also had an awkward encounter with a local resident in Perth on Wednesday during a public appearance with WA Premier Mark McGowan.
The unidentified man crashed the press conference, introduced himself as a local resident and insisted on asking Mr Albanese a "tough question" if he was "up for it".
Mr Albanese initially said that he was "absolutely up for it", but changed his mind and said the conference was authorised for media only.
"We’re just taking questions from journalists because that’s what you do at a press conference."
'Worst prime minister'
In another video posted on Twitter on Wednesday evening, a woman reportedly from the same pub approached the prime minister with her camera to take a selfie with him.
Instead of snapping the shot, she said: "Congratulations on being the worst prime minister we've ever had."
Mr Morrison walked out of the shot, quietly muttering his thanks.
Mr Morrison is also in a political fight with the Queensland government over funding for flood victims, with acting premier Cameron Dick saying the Commonwealth's refusal to jointly fund a new package was "the highest level of disrespect".
"He has made the political calculation he does not need to votes of flood-impacted families in this state," Mr Dick said.
Agreeing to fund the package in a fifty-fifty arrangement, Mr Morrison said it was something the Queensland government should be doing and accused them of not spending the money already given to them by the Commonwealth.
"We need transparency, these big announcements and commitments are made by the Queensland government, but how much have they actually paid to people?" he told Brisbane radio 4BC.
"They want to play politics with this. I don't want to play politics with this. I just want to make sure people are getting the support that they need."
Mr Morrison said he agreed to the funding arrangement with a degree of cautiousness given the attacks came on the eve of an election.
"Normally, we've worked very closely with the Queensland government and have worked throughout the course of the floods. But as we're coming into this election, I think people can see what's going on here," he said.
"State governments hold all the levers when it comes to protecting people on the ground from these disasters and then when their policy failures come through they try and send the bill to the federal government. It's not taking responsibility."
With AAP.
