Coalition frontbencher Jacinta Nampijinpa Price has downplayed suggestions her role as shadow government efficiency spokeswoman is taking cues from the US administration, saying the role would be part of the Prime Minister’s department if her party won the May 3 Federal election.

Leader Peter Dutton has faced increasing comparisons to Trump throughout the shadow and official campaign due to his policy positions and declaration to make a DOGE-like efficiency portfolio for Ms Price.

Across the past fortnight of campaigning, however, Mr Dutton has been rebranding himself as a “John Howard Liberal” - a self-declared profile he’s referred to in press conferences and the first leaders debate in Western Sydney on Tuesday.

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In a press conference in Perth on Saturday, Senator Price has said the Coalition’s proposal was not “an ode” to Donald Trump, despite Mr Trump launching an initiative with a similar name. Tech billionaire Elon Musk has been appointed head of a US Department of Government Efficiency, known as DOGE.

“The Department of Government Efficiency, it’s not a department. It’s got nothing to do with the department,” Senator Price said.

“In fact, it will sit in Prime Minister and Cabinet. And just to clarify, it is not an ode to Donald Trump.”

Her comments came after she adapted Mr Trump’s slogan at the election event, and said it was time to “make Australia great again”.

After first telling reporters she didn’t realise she had used the phrase, Senator Price accused the media of being “obsessed” with Trump rather than the Coalition.

“The media, you’re all obsessed with Donald Trump. We’re not obsessed with Donald Trump,” she said.

“We’re actually obsessed with ensuring that we can improve the circumstances for Australians.

“I don’t even realise I said that, but no, I’m an Australian and I want to ensure that we get Australia back on track.”

The “get Australia back on track” has been the Liberal party’s headline tagline and was rolled out prior to the election.

The comments came at an event at Mount Pleasant bowling club where Mr Dutton was helping rally support for Tangney candidate Howard Ong. Tangney is held by Labor’s Sam Lim with a 2.8 per cent margin and was previously held by the Liberals.

Ms Price earlier received a roaring applause when she was called to the microphone and signed copies of her book for attendees.

Later, at a separate event in Tangney, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the Coalition had been making some rather strange comments and policies as well, trying to borrow from another country”.

“As Australians . . . we don’t need to borrow from anyone, because here we are building the fairest country on Earth,” he said.

Labor campaign spokesman Jason Clare said the Opposition had “said the quiet bit out loud”, claiming they were looking to bring US-style healthcare and cuts to education to Australia.

While the cabinet minister and colleague Jim Chalmers have been more strident in their language linking the Coalition to Donald Trump and DOGE, Mr Albanese makes the criticisms without name-checking the US.

Mr Clare said the Prime Minister could speak for himself, and denied there was any strategy to protect the leader who may well have to deal with Mr Trump after the election.