Howard hunts down Latham.

More notably, on virtually all these issues they are also in a better position than they were in the lead-up to the 2001 Federal election.

It is true Labor’s position on these issues has also generally improved over this period, but between October and June the improvements have been much smaller, in the order of only one or three percentage points.

Confronted with a surprise new Opposition Leader, the government appeared to struggle with how to deal with Mark Latham, his style and his agenda.

Their initial attacks on him seemed only to give him a higher profile and worked to Latham’s advantage.

Latham’s honeymoon seemed to be lasting forever.

Under those circumstances Howard was never going to rush to the polls.

He needed time for the honeymoon to end. They always do.

He needed time to minimise the government’s negatives. He did it in the lead up to the 2001 poll. He would do it again.

And he needed time for Latham to implode or explode. He still might.

By any measure, published polls or press gallery and opinion writers' prose, Latham’s honeymoon has clearly ended.

The neutralising of the government's weaknesses is well underway and appears to be having some success.

With Labor’s tax policy still to be revealed and the poll date now likely late this year or even early next, the implosion or explosion Howard has been waiting for still might deliver him the “sweetest victory of all”.