THE nation can now afford increased spending on families and education because it is only now free of debt, John Howard says.
Ahead of the Coalition’s campaign launch in Brisbane this afternoon, Mr Howard was arguing why its policies should not be seen as a reaction to a surging Kevin Rudd after 11 years in power.
Some measures for assisting young families will be part of the package, the Treasurer confirmed today, as well as boost to training of teachers.
Mr Howard would not comment on speculation about further assistance for first home buyers or tax deductibility of education expenses saying only they would be sensible measure which were consistent with the ‘’containment approach’’ to the pressures merging in the economy.
He referred to the 2004 election promise of a 30 per cent tax rebate on childcare out of pocket expenses – a measure which Labor has since adopted and promised to increase to 50 per cen! t.
“They are the sort of things you can do for the future,’’ he said.
"I was able to make those commitments because we had a strong economy.
"I mean the difference between now and more than a decade ago is that governments couldn’t afford to invest in defence, they couldn’t afford to invest in roads, in childcare, in health, in education because the country was in debt.
"The country is no longer in debt.
"We paid off $96 billion of debt, we have an unemployment rate that is at a 33 year low, in those circumstances we can afford long term investments.’’
Mr Howard said he remained focussed despite a worsening in the Coalition’s standing in Newspoll, opening to 45 per cent to 55 per cent for Labor, after a 47 per cent to 53 split last week.
Opposition leader Kevin Rudd today said while opinion polls went up and down, there did appear to be a mood for! change.
"The only one to have any confidence in i! s what h appens on November 24,'' Mr Rudd told Melbourne radio station Nova 100 today.
"These things go up and down all the time, so you've just got to do it day by day.
"You've just got to be fair dinkum about what you are going to do.
"I find right across the country, including when I talk to people through programs like yours ... there's a mood for change in Australia.
"People just don't like being told by the government that they've never had it so good, they really hate that.''
Mr Howard said Labor, if the State Governments were a guide, was more prone to go into debt which would increase the economic burden.
He remained optimistic about the polls.
"I am feeling very optimistic, I have travelled a through a lot of Australia and the impression I get talking to people everywhere is that there is a greater focus now than perhaps two or three weeks ago on the economic choice.
"… Who i! s better able to handle the Australian economy in a period of new challenges?”
Peter Costello said he thought it remained a tight contest, and the electorates mind was crystallising on the issue of experience.
"I think that in key battleground seats as the choice becomes clearer the margins are narrowing,’’ Mr Costello told ABC radio.
Mr Costello said that despite last week’s increase in interest rates, it was still lower than the depths of recession during the last Labor of Bob Hawke and Paul Keating administration.
He acknowledged it was now much harder for young buyers to get into the market ``we will be making some measures that will assist young people with getting into the market.
He noted it was the Coalition that introduced the original $7000 first home owners grant that had gone to over one million people.
Mr Costello said the Coalition valued education and was "very keen on lifting s! tandards’’.
"It is very important tha! t we inv est in education,’’ he said.
"We want to make sure that our education institutions are not run by the providers, that is the teachers, they are run for the benefit of the parents and students, but teachers are going to be a very big part of that and we need good teachers.’’
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