AUSTRALIANS will head to the ballot box in spring, if Opposition Leader Tony Abbott's prediction is right.

Mr Abbott acknowledged the coalition was doing well in the opinion polls, but said there was a long way to go to clinch a federal election win.

While being opposition leader was occasionally "scary", Mr Abbott was confident he could handle the top job.

"It is an extraordinary challenge; I worked very closely with the Prime Minister (John Howard) ... for 11 years and I saw the burdens on him," he told ABC TV on Sunday.

"It's enough to daunt the bravest but yeah, I think I can do it."

Mr Abbott said he thought Labor might be considering an early election, but his best guess would be a date in September or October.

"Faced with the prospect of having to defend the indefensible and explain the inexplicable in the parliament every day, maybe they are thinking of cutting and running," he said.

"I certainly think they are feeling the heat in the parliament in a way that they haven't for the last two years."