Opposition Leader Tony Abbott surprises Kevin Rudd at Parliament House in Canberra. Picture: Gary Ramage Source: Herald Sun
KEVIN Rudd has challenged Tony Abbott to three debates and cast the election as a battle between the nerdy "glasses-wearing kid in the library" and the Oxford boxing champion.
While the Prime Minister continues to keep the nation guessing about the election date, he attacked the Opposition Leader's "ticker".
Mr Rudd said he wanted debates on the subjects Mr Abbott has campaigned on - debt and deficit, asylum seekers and the carbon tax.
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"Mr Abbott, I think it's time you demonstrated to the country that you had a bit of ticker on this. I mean, he's the boxing Blue, I'm the glasses-wearing kid in the library," Mr Rudd told ABC TV's 7.30 program.
"Let's have the Australian people form a view about whether his policies actually have substance, whether they actually work or whether they're just slogans.
"It's time we have a properly moderated debate by the National Press Club and that it should be on his chosen subjects to start with. He can have one on debt and deficit, he can have one after that on boats, he can have one after that, if he likes, on the carbon price."
Mr Rudd said Mr Abbott's "whole program for government rests on a house of cards". But Mr Abbott, who won his boxing Blue at Oxford, said Mr Rudd should name the election date or recall Parliament to have debates every day.
"If you want to have a formal debate, name the election date and let the debate begin," he said.
Mr Rudd denied his return as PM was revenge against Julia Gillard for taking the job from him in 2010.
"Good grief, no," he told 7.30 host Leigh Sales. "If I was so wounded by the events of 2010, I would have gone off whimpering into the corner some time ago.
"Had we been travelling in much better circumstances, then I'm sure none of these events would have happened. That didn't occur and I'm determined to take the fight up to Mr Abbott so the people at this election have a real choice."
While his supporters were agitating for his return and claiming to have a petition to remove Ms Gillard, Mr Rudd denied breaking his promise not to challenge.
"Julia Gillard decided to call a leadership ballot and, secondly, she then vacated the leadership and it was invited for all to put their hand up and to nominate, and I did that," he said.
Mr Rudd said Labor had been headed for a catastrophic election defeat.
"I wasn't about to stand idly by and see everything we've worked for, for the last five or six years, go down the gurgle as Mr Abbott set about ripping it apart," he said.
Mr Rudd, who travels to Indonesia today, said Mr Abbott's plan to "turn back boats" needed more words: "How will you turn the boats back?"
Mr Rudd last night wrote to Mr Abbott offering him briefings on border integrity matters and national security from ASIO, the National Security Adviser, public service chiefs, Immigration, the Federal Police, Customs, the Australian Secret Intelligence Service and Foreign Affairs.
Mr Rudd also met the United States and Chinese ambassadors today.
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