PM opens up to questions from the public

Prime Minister John Howard has faced a public question session at a community morning tea in his Sydney electorate.

Mr Howard was greeted with applause and a standing ovation from several hundred people packing the auditorium at the Ryde-Eastwood Leagues Club, at West Ryde in his Bennelong electorate.

Before beginning a live question and answer session, Mr Howard made a short speech stressing the benefits of a strong economy.

"If at a time of some gathering of storm clouds on the international economic horizon, we leave Australia's economy in steady and experienced hands, and we don't experiment with people who have no experience of running a trillion dollar economy, that there is no reason why Australia's best years do not lie before us," he said.

Mr Howard said he wanted an open dialogue with the community, and was subsequently asked about human rights abuses in China, disability services and the difficulty of finding workers.

In response to a woman in the audience who asked him not to call an election for the last weekend in November, because a school fete was being held, Mr Howard said: "I'll take that on board."

After the question-and-answer session, Mr Howard and his wife Janette mingled with the crowd.