Labor hopes for debate poll bounce

Labor is hoping it can break away from the coalition after the big leaders' debate.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and Opposition Leader Tony Abbott have spent the first campaign week flying past each other as they criss-crossed the country, meeting briefly at the Australian War Memorial on Tuesday.

But on Sunday they will bring their best slogans, rebuttals and zingers to the National Press Club in Canberra.

Labor keeps accusing Mr Abbott of running away from scrutiny because his policies have no detail.

That changes on Sunday when three senior press gallery journalists will quiz both leaders.

"What we will see when the campaign really begins after tomorrow night is the diversity between Labor which is concerned about the future, which has positive plans, and Tony Abbott's relentless negativity which is all we are continuing to see," Deputy Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Saturday.

For his part, Mr Rudd is delighted to face his opponent.

"Of course, Mr Abbott goes into this debate having been, I presume, preparing for it for the last three years and swotting up and ... doing his rehearsals," he told reporters in Hobart.

"Good on him, that's what politics is all about."

Mr Rudd is expected to spend Saturday afternoon and most of Sunday in debate preparation and hopes to show Labor that would be Australia's best economic managers.

He wants Mr Abbott to outline coalition plans for budget cuts and what, if anything, will be done to the GST.

Senior Liberal Christopher Pyne says the more people see of Mr Rudd, the less they like him.

"The Australian public are starting to remember all the reasons why they wanted him gone in the first place," he said.

"Obviously the Rudd honeymoon has well and truly come to a shuddering halt."

Mr Rudd has challenged Mr Abbott to a weekly series of debates, but so far Labor and the Liberals have only settled on Sunday's event.

The Liberals have proposed two "town hall"-style events, similar to those held during the 2010 poll.