Australia PM Howard told he's dishonest and too old

By James Grubel

CANBERRA (Reuters) - Australia's conservative Prime Minister John Howard is seen as old and dishonest, his private pollsters said, in a blunt message delivered months ahead of elections.

After 11 years in power, voters were turning away from Howard in favour of the youthful Opposition Labour Party leader Kevin Rudd, who is seen as compassionate, genuine and likeable, the poll leaked to a newspaper showed.

"That research reflected some of the negative views that were around. It was done a couple of months ago. I think our position has improved since then," Howard, who turned 68 in July, told Australia radio. "I'm not particularly amazed at what is in that document."

Howard has served four consecutive terms in office and must call an election before the end of the year. He said the poll was no surprise and reflected Labour's attacks on his age.

Published opinion polls show Howard would be overwhelmingly defeated if an election were held now, with the government trailing Labour by more than 14 percentage points.

The private polling, leaked to Sydney's Daily Telegraph newspaper, confirms the surge in support for the centre-left Labour Party by young voters and middle income earners after Rudd, 50 in September, was elected leader in December 2006.

Howard, it said, was considered to be "increasingly rattled and not responding well under pressure", while Rudd's election as Labour leader gave voters renewed confidence and provided a chance for a generational change in Australian politics.

Rudd said he expected Howard to push populist policies to try to claw back voter support ahead of the election, widely expected in November or December.