The Australian Prime Minister, Mr John Howard, called a general election yesterday.
He is hoping to benefit from high public-approval ratings following his strong support of the response by the United States to the terrorist attacks and a hardline stance against asylum seekers.
"We have run our term, we must face our makers and await our fate," Mr Howard said in Canberra.
After trailing Labor in opinion polls for most of the year and seemingly heading for a heavy election defeat, the government achieved a stunning turnaround six weeks ago.
His conservative coalition is now favoured to win a third term ahead of the opposition Labor Party, led by Mr Kim Beazley.
Mr Howard made it clear he plans to fight the election, on November 10th, on the issues of counter-terrorism, national security and their economic fallout.
The Labor Party hopes the campaign will refocus voters on domestic issues, such as health care, education and tax reform.
Mr Howard said the election gave Australians a clear choice.
"At a time of immense security and economic challenges, above all the nation needs at the helm a group of men and women who have strength, who have experience and have a clear view of what they believe in and what they stand for," he said, in what was effectively his first campaign speech. Yesterday, Mr Howard announced that up to 1,000 Australian troops had been committed to assisting the US in its response to the terrorist attacks. He also hopes to capitalise on voter perceptions that his administration is a better economic manager.