Australia's Howard behind in polls on election eve

Australia's Prime Minister John Howard campaigns for the upcoming federal election in Sydney in this October 19, 2007 file photo. 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 Nov. 24.

CANBERRA (Reuters) - Australia's conservative Prime Minister John Howard on Friday asked voters to let him steer the country's future as two election eve polls pointed to an opposition Labor victory, but by differing margins.

As Howard and Labor's Kevin Rudd embarked on a flurry of final campaign radio and television interviews, an AC Nielsen poll gave Labor a massive 14-point lead on preferences, which would see the 11-year government swept away.

But a rival Galaxy poll put Labor just 4 points clear, which would see the election go to the wire and put the conservatives near-even with Labor for the first time in a year.

"What I am part of now, what I have been and what I will be in the future is an approach to government that has delivered prosperity," Howard told Australian Broadcasting Corp. radio.

In a blow to Howard's hopes of a fifth term, major newspapers favored by the conservatives called for Australia's 13.6 million voters to pick Rudd over the veteran Howard.

"Rudd right man for new times," said the editorial in Sydney's Daily Telegraph. "We now believe Mr Howard has reached his use-by date, if for no other reason than he almost believes it himself," the influential tabloid said.

"Mr Howard and his team have run out of energy," said The Australian national newspaper. "We recognize that no change is free of risk, but we recommend a vote for Mr Rudd."

Rudd, 50, a Mandarin-speaking former diplomat, has promised generational change for Australians, an "education revolution" boosting IT skills in schools and reform of health and controversial labor laws championed by Howard.

But he has also signaled a more independent foreign policy voice for Australia and withdrawal of combat troops from Iraq, and repeated on Friday that overturning Howard's opposition to signing the Kyoto Protocol would be his top priority.

Howard has campaigned on his economic management, continued economic growth and record low unemployment, and waged a negative campaign warning a future Labor government would be dominated by former trade unionists and would wreck the economy.

Labor needs to win 16 more seats to win office and Rudd's campaign has been bolstered by central bank interest rate rises, hurting support for the government among critical home buyers.

Whatever happens on Saturday, the election will be Howard's last. Howard, 68, has promised to retire and hand power to his deputy, Treasurer Peter Costello, in about two years.

Political analysts said Rudd had beaten Howard in the six-week campaign, marked by successive conservative blunders and a widely-criticized A$9 billion ($7.8 billion) spending splurge promised by Howard on top of A$34 billion in tax cuts.

"Howard needs a miracle," said the front page headline in the Sydney Morning Herald, which also urged a vote for Rudd in its editorial.

During a final campaign day walk in the tropical city of Cairns 24 hours before the start of voting, Howard was heckled by protesters and told to "have a happy retirement".

(Editing by Richard Pulling)