Fed: Howard starts summer holidays tomorrow

00-00-0000
Fed: Howard starts summer holidays tomorrow

CANBERRA, Dec 31 AAP - Prime Minister John Howard starts his summer holidays tomorrow,planning a three-week break in Sydney catching up on his reading and watching the cricket.

Mr Howard will stay at Kirribilli House, venturing out to watch the fifth Ashes Testagainst England at the Sydney Cricket Ground and attend some meetings, but otherwise relaxingat home.

Mr Howard goes on his annual break buoyed by the latest Newspoll in The Australianshowing the coalition holding a lead of at least 10 points over Labor in all states butVictoria.

But he has promised to remain on call in case of a terrorist strike, and will keepan eye on Iraq ahead of the report of United Nations weapons inspectors on January 27- three days after he returns to work.

The chance of war against Iraq has renewed speculation Mr Howard could stay on as primeminister past his 64th birthday in July, when he has promised to consider his future.

Asked if the opinion polls and the possibility of war would influence his thinking,Mr Howard said he was just looking forward to a break.

"I don't want to add anything to what I've previously said on that subject but I'llcertainly be reading a lot of books over the next three weeks," he told ABC radio.

Mr Howard said he was planning a quiet New Year's Eve in Sydney and thought it wasa little corny for prime ministers to publicly reveal their New Year's resolutions.

Deputy Prime Minister John Anderson will run the country while Mr Howard is on holiday,partly from his northern NSW farm and partly from a beachside holiday house.

Meanwhile, Mr Howard shrugged off an accusation by poet Les Murray that politicianshad become hostage to political correctness (PC).

In a reflection on 2002, Murray said many Australians were afraid of Muslim immigrationbut were too scared to say so.

"The tragedy of PC to date is that it has led the government by double-talk and stealth,"

Murray told ABC radio.

Mr Howard said Murray must be thinking of someone else.

"I obviously wouldn't plead guilty to political correctness, so if he is talking aboutpoliticians becoming politically correct he obviously can't have me in mind," he toldABC radio.

AAP kmh/csd/bwl

KEYWORD: HOWARD HOLIDAYS