Opposition Leader Tony Abbott is still refusing to accept an offer of a second debate with Prime Minister Julia Gillard on the economy.
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott is still refusing to accept an offer of a second debate with Prime Minister Julia Gillard on the economy.
Ms Gillard said she's willing to debate Mr Abbott "any time".
"If Mr Abbott is presenting as prime minister of this country then he's got to say where he stands on the big economic issues of our time," said Ms Gillard.
Mr Abbott has dismissed the offer - despite saying he wanted a second debate in the first debate less than two weeks ago.
"You don't change the rules just because you're in trouble," he told reporters.
"She said no repeatedly and when she said no I thought she meant no," he said.
While on the hustings in Queensland, Mr Abbott announced the Coalition's paid parental leave plan won't come into effect until the middle of 2012.
Mr Abbott announced the levy on big business to fund the 26-week scheme will be reduced from 1.7 per cent to 1.5 per cent.
It's still expected to cost more than the $2.7 billion originally forecast.
Mr Abbott said the levy on business would be temporary until the economic conditions improve.
Under the Coalitions paid parental leave plan mothers are eligible for 26 weeks paid leave at her rate of pay, up to $150,000.
Under Labor's paid parental leave plan which comes into effect January 1 2011, parents will receive 18 weeks at the minimum wage.
Mr Abbott also attacked Labor's plan to make Medibank Private declare a "special one-off dividend" of $300 million to help fund its election promises.
"It's a sneak attack on the families of Australia. It's a sneak attack on the three million policyholders with Medibank Private," said Mr Abbott.
Meanwhile Labor has announced it will implement a national food plan if re-elected.
Agriculture Minister Tony Burke said that the plan aimed to revitalise Australia's food manufacturing sector, as well as examine affordability, global competiveness and sustainability.
He said while the bulk of supermarket shelves were filled with imported products, regional Australia was emptying of jobs.
"Unless we are able to get food manufacturing going again in Australia, the import-export figures ... it's hard to see them getting anything but worse," Mr Burke told Fairfax Radio in Adelaide.
The Australian Food and Grocery Council and the National Farmers Federation have welcomed the plan.
