TREASURER Peter Costello would continue the spirit of John Howard's vision when he eventually replaced him, Health Minister Tony Abbott said today.
Mr Howard last night announced that if returned to power at the federal election he would retire and hand over the leadership, most likely to Mr Costello, well into the next term of government.
"Ever since Peter's been in public life, Peter's been getting his vision from (Mr Howard), but his vision and the prime minister's vision are very similar," Mr Abbott told reporters.
He said that shared vision was a good thing for the country.
"What's now absolutely crystal clear is that at some point towards the end of the next term of parliament, there will be a transition from a government led by John Howard to a government that will be true to the spirit of John Howard, really true to the spirit of John Howard, not falsely true to the spirit of John Howard," Mr Abbott said.
"If you like the policies of this government, if you think that this government has done well, the best thing you can do is to keep voting for this government and that's what the prime minister has made clear."
Mr Abbott said Mr Howard's retirement announcement was not a decision made on the run.
"This was a decision which was announced yesterday but which has been in the making for quite some time," he said.
"It was obvious that there was going to have to be a new way of approaching this because what's acceptable for a 65-year-old is obviously not going to be quite the same for a 68-year-old.
"Plainly this matter had to be resolved. I think it needed to be resolved in good time to call the election.
"It's now been resolved and I want congratulate the PM and the treasurer on the way it's been handled."
File photo of Australian Prime Minister, John Howard. 
Speaking on the ABC's 7.30 report on Wednesday, Australian Prime Minister John Howard, admitted that if he is re-elected at the forthcoming election he will not serve a full three-year term as Prime Minister.

The announcement follows a Liberal party meeting early on Wednesday where Mr Howard told his party that they needed to unite behind him before the election amid intense leadership speculation. Mr Howard told his party that he would step aside in favour for treasurer Peter Costello late into his next term if re-elected.

If Howard is re-elected he will enter his fifth consecutive term as Prime Minister. Mr Howard is now aged 68.

Mr Howard told ABC that he needed to be honest with the electorate about his intentions. “I won’t find it easy, if I am re-elected, to retire. I won’t find it the least bit easy because I am very committed to this job and I will not like leaving it. But everything comes to an end . . . and we must be honest and candid and adult about it,"

"I'm asking people to vote for somebody who levels with them," he said.

The Prime Minister said he still had vision and would step aside only after he achieved what he intended to achieve. "If the Australian people are good enough and kind enough to re-elect me again, there are a lot of things I want to do and I would want to approach those things with enormous energy,"

"But I would expect, well into my term, that after those things have been implemented and bedded down I would probably or certainly form the view well into my term that it will make sense for me to retire,"

"I would expect, although it would be a matter for the party to determine, that Peter would take over. That's the honest position."

Julia Gillard, deputy leader of the Labor Party, which is in opposition to Howard's coalition said that Mr Howard has no plans for the country's future.

"I saw a man who didn't have plans for this nation's future, other than asking to be re-elected so that he can retire." 

"The Prime Minister's revealed his plans for retirement but he hasn't revealed his long-term agenda for this country's future, and how can you have a long-term agenda when you're not staying for the long term?" said Ms Gillard.