John Howard (Bennelong, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

Yes, I’m real nervous, Jenny! She’s got me on the run! Perhaps I can best respond to that question asked by the Leader of the Opposition by referring to a question that I was asked on this subject not after the election but before the election. It was a question asked of me by Neil Mitchell of 3AW in Melbourne. I think the Leader of the Opposition knows Mr Mitchell. He is about the most respected radio broadcaster in Melbourne at least and he is amongst the very best in the country. This is what he had to say. This was the question:

So you wouldn’t be embarrassed to win the election and then have an interest rates rise …

That is a fair question, and that is what has happened. We won the election and there has been an interest rate rise. This is what this debate is all about. You know what my answer was? This was on 23 September 2004. This is what I had to say:

Well I don’t seek to give guarantees, judgements about individual movements. My argument is that they will—

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