Opposition leader Luke Foley has delivered a rousing speech to launch his 2015 election campaign, declaring the March 28 poll can be won by Labor despite the daunting 15 per cent swing required.

Addressing a crowd of about 600 supporters at the Campbelltown Catholic Club in south-west Sydney, Mr Foley – a cricket tragic – compared the task of winning to Australia's unlikely victory over England in the match that began the Ashes.

He noted England needed to only score 85 runs in the final innings of the1882 match to beat Australia.

"But our greatest fast bowler – Fred Spofforth, 'The Demon'  – told his teammates at the final change of innings: 'This thing can be done'. And they did it," Mr Foley told the gathering.

"In NSW, at this election, this thing can be done"

Labor would need to win 24 seats next month to claim government in its own right – the equivalent of a 15 per cent swing. The most recent polling indicates a likely swing of between 8 and 11 per cent.

The launch was held in the seat of Campbelltown, held by the Liberals by a margin of 6.8 per cent.

Unveiling Labor's election slogan of  "a new approach" Mr Foley highlighted Labor's opposition to the Coalition government's promise to partially privatise the NSW electricity network, noting Premier Mike Baird has said the election would be a referendum on the issue.

"Bring it on!" Mr Foley said.

He also unveiled new policies in education and health.

Mr Foley announced that under a Labor government every new school would  have to include childcare or before and after school facilities on site. Labor would "substantially expand" available funding for new schools and upgrades of existing schools.

A Labor government would also fund the training of 200 specialist maths and science teacher in primary schools.

He announced Labor would also provide $1.3 billion to build and upgrade schools and TAFE colleges.

In health, Mr Foley announced an additional $1.7 billion for infrastructure.

He promised to spend $6.2 million to end the $180 co-payment for chemotherapy services introduced by the current state government and pledged $100 million for a paediatric surgery centre at Campbelltown hospital.

But the government criticised Mr Foley's speech for its lack of transport focus.

"This will go down in history as the first opposition leader to never talk about transport," said Energy Minister Anthony Roberts.

Mr Foley announced Labor's $10 billion transport and infrastructure plan two weeks ago.

Earlier, federal Labor leader Bill Shorten alluded to the impact on the NSW election campaign of the unpopularity of Prime Minister Tony Abbott and his government.

"These days, Tony Abbott only comes to NSW to collect his mail and put out the bins," he said.

Mr Shorten said Mr Baird was "missing in action" in relation to education and health funding cuts imposed on NSW in last year's federal budget, worth $2 billion over four years.

Also on Sunday morning Mr Baird held his "first campaign event" before about 150 supporters at Kareela Golf Club.

"We wanted to be clear about what we stood for and not a small target," Mr Baird said in an allusion to criticism made frequently of his predecessor Barry O'Farrell.

"We have two visions: one that takes us backwards and one that takes us forwards."

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