Abbott to deliver major economic speech

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott will square up to criticisms he's an economic
lightweight when he delivers his first major address on the nation's finances on
Tuesday.
Labor has continually hammered the coalition over its economic credentials, but Mr
Abbott last week took his first step to neutralise that attack when he moved Barnaby
Joyce from the finance portfolio.
Mr Abbott will use his speech in Sydney to the Leaders' Round Table - a forum for
the Liberal Party to engage with business - to counter claims that the opposition
isn't interested in economic issues.
According to the latest poll by Essential Research, already some of the coalition's
economic messages are finding favour with the public.
It found more than 50 per cent of people favoured addressing the deficit and cutting
back spending as opposed to continuing stimulus spending.
The survey also showed the coalition closing the gap with the government in terms of
voter support.
The speech will be a defence, too, against government assertions that Mr Abbott's
fitness regime is preventing him from doing the hard yards on policy.
The super-fit opposition leader is officially an ironman after taking part in a
gruelling event on Sunday, where he swam 3.8km, cycled 180km and completed a 42km
marathon.
Mr Abbott told Radio Triple M in Brisbane it was possible to have a life outside
politics, even in his job.
"You don't have to be chained to the desk all day long, and frankly if you get out a
bit and if you have a life, I think you're more effective when you get to the desk,"
he said.
Mr Abbott isn't the only one spruiking an economic message, with Reserve Bank
governor Glenn Stevens taking the unusual step of doing a high-profile interview on
the Seven Network's Sunrise program.
His warning that interest rates are likely to rise again - and soon - comes amid
ongoing concerns about a housing shortage, with demand for properties in Sydney
continuing to skyrocket.
As part of efforts to ease housing cost pressures, the federal government detailed a
further $50 million in spending under its Housing Affordability Fund, which would
save home buyers an average of $20,000 for more than 3000 new homes and housing
lots.
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd made the announcement in Melbourne, where he will have a
meeting on Tuesday with Victorian Premier John Brumby on the federal government's
health and hospital reform program.
Victoria remains one of the biggest obstacles to Mr Rudd getting agreement from the
states and territories over his plan for the commonwealth to take majority control
of public hospital funding.
Ahead of his meeting with Mr Brumby, Mr Rudd argued his plan would free up state
budgets by bearing the burden of increasing health spending.
"Here in Victoria, it would mean reduced funding pressure on the Victorian
government of $3.8 billion over the next decade," he told the summit.
Even if it is struggling to get the premiers on side, the federal government has
found one unlikely supporter of its plan.
Liberal backbencher Mal Washer, a medical doctor, has urged his boss to take a
bipartisan approach to the issue of health reform.
"If we can get as much bipartisan movement in this as possible, that would be good,"
he told Sky News.
The government seized on signs of dissent within the opposition, calling on Mr
Abbott to listen to the backbencher.
"It is time that the opposition stopped putting up roadblocks to reform," Health
Minister Nicola Roxon said in a statement.