Fadden voters are not looking at the past, says Dutton

Labor has been running social media advertising targeting the retired MP for Fadden and former minister Stuart Robert, who was mentioned in the robodebt royal commission report as having made misleading public comments about the unlawful scheme.

Campaigning in Fadden on Thursday, Mr Dutton told reporters that electing the LNP's candidate Cameron Caldwell would send a message to the government about doing more on the cost of living.

He said Labor was running a negative campaign to get its candidate Letitia Del Fabbro elected to the Gold Coast seat.

"I think people are looking forward, not back," Mr Dutton said.

The Australian Electoral Commission is concerned about low voter turnout at pre-poll booths ahead of Saturday's by-election.

But Mr Dutton said there was "always a reduction" at by-elections and he hoped people would turn out in great numbers.

"There's just not the awareness that comes with a general election," he later told Sydney radio station 2GB.

"There'd be a lot of people that probably haven't even heard yet that there is the by-election."

Mr Robert retained Fadden in 2022 with a 10.6 per cent margin over Ms Del Fabbro.

There are 13 candidates vying for the seat.

Ms Del Fabbro said voters in Fadden deserved a better representative than Mr Robert.

"I put my hand up to run again because I am so proud of the work that the Albanese Labor government has done particularly in health and aged care," she told AAP.

"As a nurse and a mum I know what a difference cheaper child care, cheaper medicine and putting nurses in to aged care facilities makes."

Mr Dutton said despite the double-digit margin held by the party, the coalition was not taking the seat for granted.

"The Labor Party has been throwing a lot of mud and dirt in this smear campaign, but I think most people will see through that," he said.

Australian Associated Press