Andrew Charlton (Parramatta, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Here's a question: does the Leader of the Opposition want interest rates to come down next week when the RBA meets, or does he want them to stay where they are? Well, unfortunately, today we got an answer to that question, friends. Today the Leader of the Opposition admitted that he does not want to see interest rates cut. Here's what he said about the decision next week: 'You don't want to cut rates and then find they've been cut too early and have to increase rates later on.' He went on to say that cutting rates too early would obviously be a real concern to economists and families as well. I don't think he's spoken to too many families. Most families know that, with inflation coming down thanks to the Albanese government, it gives more room for the RBA to deliver welcome interest rate cuts. Interest rate cuts are now forecast by every major bank, and in fact have been implemented by the NAB, cutting its fixed-rate mortgages last week.

Everybody in Australia is looking forward to the dividend of good economic management—except, it turns out, the Leader of the Opposition, who said today that he wants interest rates to stay higher.

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