COSTELLO - no idea!!!!!

[mighty_tiger_79]

from ADELAIDENOW

Costello left flummoxed as attack ads beginArticle from: AAPFont size: Decrease Increase Email article: Email Print article: Print Submit comment: Submit comment October 17, 2007 04:30pm

TREASURER Peter Costello was lost for words today when asked to explain his party website's prediction of the amount interest rates would go up under Labor.

The Liberal website said that under a Labor government people could expect to pay $3276 per year extra on their mortgage, but Mr Costello didn't know why.

Quoting from a 2007 Econtech report, the website said Labor's industrial relations policy would push interest rates 1.4 per cent higher than they are today.

"This means working families will have to pay an extra $273 every month on their mortgage repayments,'' it said.

But asked by a journalist to explain such figuring, Mr Costello didn't have an answer.

"I would have to go and look at what's on the website, and if I do I'll give you the information,'' Mr Costello said.

Asked again how the Government could say that mortgages were going up by such an exact figure, Mr Costello said: "You have asked me to have a look at it and see how it adds up. I'll have a look at it and see how it adds up.''

Earlier this week, Prime Minister John Howard could not correctly answer what the Reserve Bank of Australia's current cash rate is, saying it was 6.25 per cent when it is 6.5 per cent.

Union attack ad

Mr Costello today launched a new Liberal Party federal election advertisement that attacks Labor's links to the trade union movement.

The new ad seeks to taint a future Rudd government as a threat to the economy because it would be anti-business and beholden to unions. Mr Costello said a Labor win would mean more strikes, tougher times for small businesses and ultimately recession.

[Psyber]

I don't see why the media should expect any pollie to remember these details off the top of their head - Lib or Labor pollies - and therefore to criticise Rudd, Gillard, Howard, or Costello, for saying they would need to check the details is stupid. I suspect they don't expect them to remember, and just use it to try to whip up a drama and sell more papers and thus generate more ad revenue.

I also think pollies trying to use the same technique on each other are being petty.

One's brain should be in gear trying to solve the next big problem, not full of small details for playing media trivial pursuit.