KEY POINTS:
Prime Minister John Howard will go to the polls on November 24 in what surveys predict will be a doomed bid to end his long political career with a fifth successive term in office.
Instead of retiring at his peak and handing power to deputy Peter Costello in what was reportedly a clear understanding between the two men, Australia's second-longest-serving leader has instead opted to go down fighting.
Faced with yet another disastrous poll predicting burial by a Labor landslide, Mr Howard was defiant as he announced the election date.
"I have no intention of spending even a nanosecond commenting on opinion polls," he said. "I am facing my day of accountability, as is the Leader of the Opposition. That is the nature of the democratic process."
Facing Labor dominance and voter unhappiness across a range of issues, Mr Howard will hammer the inexperience of Labor leader Kevin Rudd, and focus on family policies, industrial relations and economic management.
He has also promised to hand power to Mr Costello after holding a referendum to recognise indigenous Australians in the Constitution.
This is an election-eve backflip that he said was made after much soul-searching and the acceptance he had made mistakes in the past.
Howard will focus heavily on his record of economic management and the familiarity with voters gained in 11 years in office, campaigning for an usually long and gruelling six weeks.
A Taverner poll in Fairfax newspapers yesterday predicted a landslide victory for the Opposition.
It said Mr Rudd was preferred prime minister by a margin of 52 per cent to 42 per cent, Labor had picked up the support of a majority of women, and the PM's Coalition vote among older Australians had collapsed.
