Australian PM Howard a political survivor

CANBERRA (Reuters) - Conservative Prime Minister John Howard, one of Australia's great political survivors, faces the fight of his life both nationally and in his own seat as he tries to retain power one final time at elections on November 24.

After 11 years in office, opinion polls say the government is facing near-certain defeat and Howard may lose his own Sydney seat of Bennelong to a high profile television journalist.

But Howard's reputation as a stubborn and determined campaigner, and a master of political tactics, means few commentators are prepared to write off his chances of another victory in what will be his last election.

"Love me or loath me the Australian people know where I stand on all the major issues of importance to their future," a defiant Howard said on Sunday in announcing the election.

Howard, 68, has said this election will be his last. If he wins, he will hand power to his deputy, Treasurer Peter Costello, at some point during the next three year term.

Howard has defied his critics to win four consecutive elections, becoming Australia's second-longest serving prime minister along the way.

"We are going in as underdogs but there is no tougher political fighter than John Howard and that is what Australia needs," said Health Minister Tony Abbott.

Born in Sydney in 1939, John Winston Howard was the youngest of four brothers. His family owned a suburban petrol station and the young Howard was educated at nearby government schools.

His father Lyall, who had served in World War I, died in 1955 while Howard was still at high school. The partially deaf Howard continued with his studies and won a place at Sydney University, graduating with a law degree in 1961.

Friend and ally U.S. President George W. Bush called him "a man of steel" for Australia's support for the war in Iraq, but the description could equally apply to Howard's ability to brush off political setbacks.

EARLY DEFEATS

In his mid 20s, Howard went to England and helped with the 1964 election campaign for Conservative Prime Minister Alec Douglas-Home, who lost to Labour's Harold Wilson.

In 1968, Howard ran for New South Wales state parliament, but lost. In 1972, Howard helped Prime Minister William McMahon's campaign for re-election. McMahon also lost.

Howard eventually won a seat in Australia's national parliament in 1974, becoming a junior minister at the age of 36 after Liberal leader Malcolm Fraser won power in December 1975.

He was promoted to Treasurer in 1977 and delivered five national budgets before the Liberals lost power in 1983.

Howard was elected leader of the Liberal Party and Australia's opposition Leader in 1985, leading the party into the 1987 election.

But Howard lost the 1987 election, and his personal poll ratings then dived to a record low of 18 percent, prompting a national affairs magazine to run a front page photo of Howard with the headline: "Why on earth does this man bother?"

Five months later, he was dumped from the Liberal Party's leadership, laughing off suggestions he could ever return as leader. "That would be Lazarus with a triple bypass," he said.

POLITICAL RESURRECTION

But after his party lost two more elections, Howard was drafted back to the leadership in early 1995. He then led his party to victory in 1996 after 13 years in opposition.

Describing himself as a social conservative and an economic liberal, Howard targeted policies at working families and blue-collar workers -- dubbed "the Howard battlers" -- who helped him win three more elections.

In power, Howard has strengthened Australia's defense forces, been more interventionist with struggling South Pacific Island nations, and ensured Australia's military alliance with the United States is at the centre of foreign policy.

Domestically, he funded a massive gun buyback scheme after a mass shooting in Tasmania, eliminated net government debt through surplus budgets, and oversaw the sale of public assets, such as phone giant Telstra Corp. Ltd.

And despite the worst drought in a century, Howard has presided over a booming economy with record low unemployment, 16 years of sustained growth, and record high levels of private share ownership.

The strength of Australia's economy has helped Howard maintain a strong personal approval rating, despite his government's flagging poll standing.

Fit and energetic, Howard power walks every day, often leaving reporters many years younger struggling to keep up.