Australian PM plays down key birthday ahead of poll

CANBERRA - Australian Prime Minister John Howard reached retirement age when he celebrated his 65th birthday today but the veteran politician showed no signs of slowing down ahead an election tipped for October.

Howard, whose eight-year-old conservative government is seeking a fourth term in office, has vowed to stay in the top job for as long as his party wants him and was keen to show he does not believe age really matters in politics.

Howard swatted away comparisons with Mark Latham, the relatively youthful centre-left Labour opposition leader he will oppose in the election, who is 22 years his junior.

"I don't think the Australian public care about somebody's age," Howard told reporters after his usual brisk morning walk around Sydney harbour's foreshore.

"It's what they've done, what they can do and what they stand for that matters to the Australian public in politics and that is the real difference between me and my opponent," he said.

Howard's Liberal-National coalition is running neck-and-neck with Labour in opinion polls.

An election is due by April, but Howard is expected to call a snap poll in September or October to capitalise on a stable economy and a popular focus on terrorism and a strong defence.

Howard planned to keep a low profile on his birthday, with no public engagements scheduled.

While Howard has yet to decide on a date for the poll, the unofficial campaign is well underway with leaders from both sides touring marginal electorates and talking up their policies.

Latham co-hosted a national breakfast television show on Monday and jumped at the chance to draw attention to Howard reaching the official retirement age for male Australian workers, offering him a cake complete with 65 candles.

"I would also have Marilyn Monroe popping out of the cake to sing him happy birthday," said Latham, referring to the late actress' famous 1962 serenade for US President John F Kennedy.

Howard left his anointed heir, 46-year-old Treasurer Peter Costello, to hit the hustings on Monday in the Victoria state capital Melbourne.

Costello could not hide his disappointment last year when Howard announced he would stay on as prime minister for as long as he was wanted, despite an earlier promise to consider his position when he turned 64.

Opinion polls have repeatedly shown voter opposition to Costello taking the top job.

Howard deftly sidestepped a small group of Greenpeace protesters during his morning walk in Sydney. The protesters wore t-shirts saying "Don't walk away from Kyoto", highlighting Australia's refusal to sign the Kyoto protocol on climate change.

- REUTERS