Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has pledged that he will never head a minority government should Australian voters deliver a hung parliament again, in a bid to get voters to make a definite choice for the Liberal and National parties.
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In his first address after the federal election was called for September 7, Mr Abbott said that if the vote resulted in a hung parliament, he would not put his hand up to be prime minister - in direct contrast to his Labor opponents.
''There's a commitment that I want to give you . . . There will not be deals done with independents and minor parties under any political movement that I lead,'' he said from the opposition party room at Parliament House.
''If there is a hung parliament, there won't be a Coalition government led by Tony Abbott.''
Mr Abbott hit the campaign trail by pitching himself as ''more fair dinkum'' than Prime Minister Kevin Rudd.
He said September 7 would be a choice between his ''positive plans'' and ''more of the same'' under Labor.
''Mr Rudd talked about who do you trust,'' Mr Abbott said.
''Well, it's really about who is more fair dinkum. Who can you rely on to build a better future?''
The Opposition Leader seized on Labor's leadership changes over the past three years, the growing issue of boat arrivals during the Rudd-Gillard government and the 2013-14 budget deficit that has jumped from $18 billion to $30.1 billion since May.
''Do you really want three more years like the last six?'' he said.
Nationals leader Warren Truss said that regional Australians would be relieved that now there was an election date, ''they will soon have the opportunity to put an end to the worst government in Australian history''.
Mr Truss said voters would decide between ''debt, deficit and dysfunction'' under Labor or a ''new path to progress and prosperity'' under the Coalition.
The Nationals would give regional Australia a ''better'' government, and would field 35 candidates in all the mainland states and in the Northern Territory.
Greens leader Christine Milne welcomed the election as an end to the uncertainty about the date.
The Greens would be calling on people to support a ''caring and sustainable Australia'' and to vote ''against cruelty and environmental destruction''.
"Unlike the old parties, we care about what life will be like in 50 years, not just the next three,'' she said.
