Costello guessing game continues

Peter Costello "never had the balls to challenge" for the Liberal leadership, says a former party leader, as mounting speculation over the top job on Friday forced Brendan Nelson to repeat his pledge to take the coalition to the next federal election.



The latest round of a guessing-game surrounding Mr Costello's political future has forced Dr Nelson to deflect suggestions party colleagues are wooing the former treasurer.



"I am absolutely determined with everything I've ever done in my life to see it through, and I will lead us through to the next election," he told ABC Radio.



Dr Nelson has revealed he had a "lengthy" chat last week with Mr Costello, who is yet to announce whether he will stay in politics.



"I said to him ... that I expect he will announce (his future plans) when he is ready to do so," he said.



Former Liberal leader John Hewson says he doesn't expect those plans to include a tilt at the leadership.



"When I look back at Peter's career, he's never had the balls to challenge, or make a move, or actually move to get the job, in circumstances where he could have got it," he told Sky News.



"I'm not saying he can't come back but the polls still say he's largely unelectable.



"He's got a long way to go and there are a number of people in the party that have ambition."On Dr Hewson's list of potential leaders are foreign affairs spokesman Andrew Robb, deputy leader Julie Bishop and indigenous affairs spokesman Tony Abbott.



"There are plenty who will have a go at the right time, so I don't think it's going to be an easy passage for Peter whenever, and I'm not sure that he'll ever be drafted," he said.



"In that sense he's going to have to move - something he hasn't characteristically done in his entire career."Despite renewed speculation that his leadership is doomed if his standing in the polls doesn't improve, Dr Nelson said he remained determined to continue in the job.



Dr Nelson next week heads to the US and the UK at the start of a 10-day tour for talks on economics, security and climate change.



He said his discussions in both countries would focus on global economic uncertainty, international security challenges and Australia's response to climate change.



Meanwhile, he said he was always warned that being opposition leader would not be an easy task.



"People have said to me, from the day that I took this job, they said: `Look it's the worst job in Australia in politics," he said.



"But if I listened to commentators instead of doing what I think is right, then I'd be losing objectivity."Opposition treasury spokesman Malcolm Turnbull, who narrowly lost the leadership ballot after the coalition's election loss last year, was coy when quizzed about Dr Nelson.



"Brendan Nelson is our leader, he has the support of the party room and beyond that I make a golden rule of not commenting on leadership questions," Mr Turnbull told reporters at Coolum, on Queensland's Sunshine Coast.



He described Mr Costello as a really talented politician.



"Of course, he said earlier in the year he was going to retire from politics.



"If he wants to change his mind he is entitled to do so in his own good time and he will let us know in his own good time."