Fed: Swan refuses to rule out deficit budget under Labor

AAP General News (Australia)
08-08-2007
Fed: Swan refuses to rule out deficit budget under Labor

The shadow treasurer's refused to rule out the possibility of a Labor government running
a deficit budget.

WAYNE SWAN says economic cycles come and go .. but he's rejected claims Labor's planned
changes to industrial relation laws would lead to higher inflation .. and higher interest
rates.

Mr SWAN says the prime minister's saying if Labor wins the election and takes the axe
to his unfair AWAs .. that'll be the end of western christendom as we know it.

But he says only four per cent of employees are currently on AWAs .. 39 per cent are
on collective agreements .. 31 per cent on individual common law contracts and 19 per
cent on awards.





Opposition leader KEVIN RUDD says there are no economic circumstances that would warrant
a Labor government running a budget deficit in the next few years .. and Labor's budget
philosophy is identical to the government's.

AAP RTV mb/sb/jlw/jmt/bart

KEYWORD: RATES SWAN (CANBERRA)

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