shorten

Another ALP genius at work Shorten, potential leader gawd help us, having a crack at another dufus. No wonder i never vote.

"Labor frontbencher Bill Shorten was caught giving the wrong information while criticising Opposition Leader Tony Abbott for doing so.

This morning Tony Abbott mistakenly told reporters the RBA would announce the latest official cash rate today.

"I think that the families of Australia will be looking for a break," he said.

"Should the Reserve Bank lower interest rates today that will be welcomed, but that obviously is a matter for the bank."

However, the Reserve Bank meets to decide on rates on the first Tuesday of every month, except in January, when it does not meet at all.

After journalists pointed out that it was the inflation figure - not the cash rate - that was due out today, Mr Abbott sought to explain the link between the two.

The Government pounced on the gaffe, claiming it showed he is out of touch with Australian families.

"If Mr Abbott was more focused on the economy, if he was more focused on family budgets, if he was less focused on his mud bucket and the baseball bat then he would have known that the Reserve Bank is meeting on interest rates next week," Treasurer Wayne Swan said.

Mr Shorten joined him, but also got his facts wrong.

"The Reserve Bank board has been meeting on the second Tuesday of every month since 1960," he said.

The bank actually meets to decide on rates on the first Tuesday of every month, except in January."



http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-04-24/abbott-shorten-in-rates-gaffe/3969490