Tony Abbott's application for the nation's top job is a mix of elaborately sketched scenes of a glorious economic nirvana, contrasted against the grim reality of a slash and burn approach to government spending and public servants.

It is no different from the customary election stump speech, except that the election is almost two years away.

Abbott delivered a message of hope, reward and opportunity, with scant detail of how to get there.

That doesn't matter to his supporters, because they lapped up the portrayal of Labor as hapless and hopeless.

His opening speech for the year was framed as presenting a plan for the future, with a central theme of responsibility.

A Coalition administration would be responsible with taxpayers' money, not profligate, as he claims Labor is.

Voters may deduce from his promise to return to surplus ''quickly'' and reduce the size of government ''permanently'' that the Coalition would make even more cuts than those already outlined, such as reducing the public service by 12,000 through natural attrition.

Abbott is even more ramped up than usual, with fresh speculation about the future of Labor MP Craig Thomson injecting new life into the Opposition Leader's hope of an early election.

His long-awaited appearance before press gallery journalists at the National Press Club was a fine example of a broad ranging campaign speech without the promises.

It was carefully calibrated to concentrate on the feel-good vision of a nation safely ensconced (once again) under the economic management of a Coalition government with minimal control and interference in individuals' affairs.

He slid around questions of detail or intent, keeping the focus on the Government.

What he set out to achieve at the National Press Club yesterday was a hatchet job on Labor, with persuasive arguments for its replacement by a Coalition administration.

The main battleground is the economy.

While Abbott concentrates on his view that Labor has trashed the economy, and shouldn't be trusted to remain in power for another single day, Julia Gillard will today put the diametrically opposing view, saying the economy is in much better shape under Labor.

The text of her speech was given to newspapers last night to hype the event and attempt to overshadow Abbott's effort in today's editions.

The Government is taking Abbott very seriously, while attempting to sound dismissive of his promises.

But his vision outlined yesterday has elements that might surprise his critics. He embraced a dental scheme as an ''aspiration'' and outlined a plan to shift the machinery of government to remote Aboriginal communities to gain an insight into their needs.

Abbott can't be expected to nail down concrete promises and funding this far out from an election.

But his message on money was that his first priority would be to follow his mentor John Howard's example by cutting and cutting to get the budget back in the black.

The pain would be justified by the need for the nation to live within its needs.

While Abbott mixed a new golden age with the necessity of cuts, the Prime Minister's speech today will seek to convince voters that they never had it so good.

Alas, the Prime Minister is bombarded with continual speculation about the return of Kevin Rudd.

Rudd is expected to campaign more in the election in his home state of Queensland than the Prime Minister does, inevitably sparking more rumours of a comeback.

While Abbott was delivering his rallying call to conservatives across the nation, former Labor leader Simon Crean - a staunch Gillard ally - was firing an extraordinary broadside against Rudd.

This is where Abbott has the clear advantage.

His message to voters is that Australia needs a prime minister who is not self-absorbed with political survival.

Abbott Stumps Up With An Early Job Application