Australia’s incumbent Prime Minister, Julia Gillard who is getting ready for the elections that will decide if she returns to the position with her own right has blamed opposition Leader, Tony Abbott of being a supported of the unpopular Howard-era laws.

She also said that Mr. Abbott is giving conflicting statements on the issue of WorkChoices. Meanwhile, Mr Abbott said that the laws are past now but could not guarantee that they will not return.

"The camouflage that Mr Abbott tried to create hasn't even lasted two days," she said. "It's abundantly clear that if Mr Abbott became prime minister the worst aspects of WorkChoices would be back and for hard-working Australians that means pressure on family budgets as they lose basic entitlements like the entitlement to penalty rates."

Mr. Abbott has promised that he will not alter Labor's workplace relations laws for a period of three years if he comes to office. The media repeatedly asked him what he will do after that time.

He first said that the Workchoices law is gone and he does not have plans to alter that, “Not now, not ever”. Later he changed to say, "Obviously I can't say that there will never ever for 100 or 1000 years time be any change to any aspect of industrial legislation."

He expressed that he received the message from the public about the issue in 2007 and he will follow it and not make any changes to the law. Workplace Relations Minister Simon Crean has raised doubts over his commitment to the Fair Work laws.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Julia Gillard has dismissed allegations that she is calling an early election because she wants to avoid being embarrassed by the assessment report of two flawed government programs.

The home insulation program that caused many accidents is under investigation by the commonwealth auditor-general. She herself described the program as a ‘mess’.

The second, $16.5 billion Building the Education Revolution program in which she has a direct responsibility as education minister is under investigation. She dismissed suggestions that the report will be delayed. "I have guaranteed it will be available for the election,'' she said.

According to a poll published in The Australian today, Ms Gillard with 57 per cent has a 30 point lead over Mr Abbott with 27 per cent for the post of Prime minister. Both the leaders however said that the elections will be closely fought.