The accusation in Brisbane came as Prime Minister Scott Morrison talked up the coalition's record in supporting the mining sector in Western Australia.
Mr Albanese used the ninth day of the May 21 election campaign to spruik a $38 million funding pledge over three years to Disaster Relief Australia, as Labor seeks to reset after a rocky first week.
The latest Newspoll has Labor slipping from 37 to 36 per cent of the primary vote, with the coalition also dropping one point to 35 per cent.
Labor's funding would enable the veteran-led organisation assisting communities after natural disasters to have 5200 more volunteers, by helping to cover recruitment, training and equipment.
The opposition leader attacked the prime minister for his handling of the Black Summer bushfires and the recent floods in Queensland and northern NSW.
"Over the last three years, Australia has watched Scott Morrison refuse to take responsibility and go missing in action when natural disasters have struck," Mr Albanese said.
"Now, as communities recover from devastating floods, Scott Morrison has politicised flood recovery, caring more about who flood victims voted for than what help they need."
Defence Minister Peter Dutton has rejected claims Queensland flood victims were receiving less income support than residents of Lismore in northern NSW.
Meanwhile in Perth, Mr Morrison told mining industry leaders the budget and economy would be put at risk by Mr Albanese's "flip-flopping" over support for the resources sector, which he said, provides the revenue to pay for the services provided to all Australians.
"Now is not the time to risk our $2.1 trillion economy with someone who doesn't understand our economy, let alone having a plan for it and cannot stand up to the Greens who want to shut you down," he said.
Labor is seeking to cause the coalition a headache over claims that pensioners would be shifted onto the cashless welfare card.
"Well, here's what (social services minister) Anne Ruston said on February 1, 2020: 'We're seeking to put all income management onto the universal platform, which is the cashless debit card'," Mr Albanese told Brisbane radio station 4BC on Tuesday morning.
"They're her words, not mine."
Senator Ruston ruled out putting pensioners on the cashless welfare card on the same station the day before, and accused Mr Albanese of twisting her words.
Labor plans to get rid of the card.
Mr Morrison announced the Pilbara in WA's north and Kwinana in Perth will become the home of two new hydrogen hubs, with $140 million in government funding.
He also pledged if re-elected to again seek federal parliament's support for new laws to fast-track environmental approvals for major projects.
However, his decision to parachute Katherine Deves into the seat of Warringah as the Liberal candidate continues to dog him.
Ms Deves has apologised for a number of anti-transgender tweets and comments and maintains the support of Mr Morrison, but NSW Treasurer and Liberal moderate Matt Kean says she is not fit for office or aligned with the values of the party.
"This is not a one-off, drunken Twitter rant. This is not a statement made at university 30 years ago. This is a series of consistent positions held over a long period and in recent times," Mr Kean told the ABC.
"We need to continue to stand up and call out this kind of language, this kind of bigotry."
Liberal moderate Trent Zimmerman has reportedly appealed to senior members of the prime minister's office to have Ms Deves dumped.
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