16:00 - John Howard has defended his childcare rebate plan and announced further details on how the plan would operate. Mr Howard said the rebate would be paid directly to childcare centres, reducing the upfront payments of parents.
Mr Howard said this aspect of the plan made the Coalition's policy superior to the ALP's. "Ours is better because ours provides immediate relief to parents with their childcare costs," he said.
13:30 - John Howard travelled to an independent Catholic school in Brisbane's north to hype the Coalition's education rebates - which he has extended to families with children in private schools. He recieved a warm welcome from students and teachers, but as a journalist travelling with the PM for livenews.com.au notes:
The talk on the bus is whether or not the Liberals have already given up – and today’s campaign venue does nothing to turn this sentiment around – it’s in Dickson, a seat held by a margin of almost nine per cent. If the Prime Minister needs to campaign here then he really is in trouble.
11:00 - John Howard has elaborated on his controversial retirement plans, saying he will would not stand down for at least 18 months if he wins the upcoming election.
"Peter Costello, if we win, will not become the prime minister until well into the next term, and that would be a matter for him and the party to decide in the tradition of the Liberal Party," Howard said on ABC radio today.
The Prime Minister is expected to remain in the Brisbane area today, spruiking yesterday's $9.4 billion re-election bid.