NEWS.com.au, Australia

Howard denies fresh leadership speculation

By Maria Hawthorne, Melissa Jenkins and Crystal Ja September 16, 2007
03:41pm

PRIME Minister John Howard has denied fresh speculation that he will
hand over to Treasurer Peter Costello as early as Tuesday.

And Mr Costello made it clear he would not challenge for the Liberal
leadership, even if a key opinion poll shows the Government heading
for a landslide loss.

Supporters of Mr Costello told Fairfax newspapers today that a
leadership switch could still take place before the federal election,
due within weeks, if Tuesday’s Newspoll shows no turnaround in the
Coalition’s fortunes.

But Mr Howard, who last week stared down party critics who thought the
coalition would be better off without him, rejected the suggestion.

`Well, that’s news to me,’ Mr Howard said at an Armenian cultural
festival in Sydney.

`My position was outlined last week and you know me, it hasn’t
changed.’

Mr Costello also ruled out any move.

`My position is today as it was last week and as it was last year,’ Mr
Costello told Channel 9.

`I’m going to this election as a team. John Howard asked me to go to
this election with him as his deputy leader and his treasurer.

`Last year, I said I would. I will. That’s it.’

Labor has been leading the Government in opinion polls all year, with
the most recent Newspoll showing the Opposition 18 points ahead on a
two-party preferred basis.

Tuesday’s poll is the first taken since last week’s damaging
leadership turmoil, which forced Mr Howard to reluctantly outline his
plan to step down next term if his Government is re-elected.

Yesterday, he promised to remain on the backbench for the full term,
sparing the voters of Bennelong a by-election, if the Coalition won.

Workplace Relations Minister Joe Hockey said there were no plans to
revisit the leadership, dismissing the speculation as `absolute
rubbish’.

`I can say with total conviction that John Howard will be leading us
to the next election and beyond,’ Mr Hockey told Channel 10.

But he conceded the Government would take a battering in the opinion
polls.

`Last week was a very difficult week for the Government. I would be
surprised if Newspoll were not the same or if not worse for the
Government given what happened last week,’ Mr Hockey said.

However, deputy Labor leader Julia Gillard said she expected Mr
Howard’s personal approval rating to rise in the Newspoll because
voters felt sorry for the Prime Minister.

`I think Australians watching that very painful episode might reward
him with a little bit of a sympathy card,’ she said.

`He was pleading with Australians for his political life.’

Mr Howard can call the election for any Saturday between now and
January 19, but has promised it will be held by early December.

Ms Gillard said there were no excuses for not calling it by next
weekend at the latest.

Mr Howard said it would be a challenge to win a fifth consecutive term
in office, but not impossible.

`All elections are tough and I have been saying all year this one will
be the toughest,’ he said.

`But I believe the Coalition can win the election. I believe when
people focus on the substance we have delivered … that they will
decide in our favour.’