Garrett to stay in politics

Federal Environment Protection Minister Peter Garrett says he will stay in politics, even if Labor loses the federal election.

Mr Garrett said Saturday's August 21 poll would be "very, very tight", but dismissed concern that poor-performing state Labor governments were hurting the party's federal campaign.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard admitted in a television interview on Sunday there was "disappointment with the performance of state Labor governments" in some parts of the nation, asking voters to focus on national issues.

Mr Garrett said voters always distinguished between the two at federal elections. "I think Australians will come to their own views and distinguish between state and federal policies; they do that at every election," he told reporters in Melbourne.

Mr Garrett, 57, said his electorate of Kingsford Smith in Sydney's south had benefited greatly from the Labor government in his three years in office, and he was happy to stand on that record.

"I'm not going to get into any hypotheticals here about what will happen next Saturday, other than saying if I'm elected by the electors of Kingsford Smith, of course I'll serve my full term, I wouldn't do anything otherwise," he said.

Mr Garrett said he believed Labor had done enough for Australians to return them to power. Voters must also decide who would be the best prime minister, he said.

"(Opposition Leader Tony) Abbott's made his name in the boxing ring on ideology.

He hasn't made his name in delivering on policy, and I think Australians will increasingly focus on that when they get closer and closer to next Saturday," he said.

Mr Garrett made the comments in Melbourne as he unveiled a $10 million election promise for Australia's arts sector.

The five-year funding pledge would go to the Australia Council to invest in new and innovative Australian work, including grants of up to $80,000 a year for new artistic works and up to $60,000 a year for new fellowships.