The ALP has shifted its focus from August 7 to September 18 as the next most likely date because of the Olympics and parliamentary sittings, but senior Liberals are still suggesting October is most likely.

Mr Howard said on Melbourne radio yesterday that "things may or may not be ruled out by what's called effluxion of time" but he would not "keep ruling particular dates in or out".

But he agreed the AFL grand final at the end of September and the NRL grand final in the first week of October meant those two weeks were generally ruled out.

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