The Reserve Bank will have to raise interest rates now if it wants to retain its international credibility, and Alliance leader Jim Anderton is the man homeowners should blame, ACT leader Richard Prebble said today.

Mr Anderton, assuming the position of acting Prime Minister, told the media he would not be happy if the Bank announced tomorrow that is was intending to put interest rates up.

“If there was any possibility of the Reserve Bank not raising interest rates, given the volatility of the sharemarket and the slump in business confidence this government has begun, Mr Anderton has taken it away from them.

“If Mr Anderton wants the Reserve Bank to raise interest rates, there’s better ways of doing it,” Mr Prebble said.

“He is just putting Reserve Bank governor Don Brash between a rock and a hard place. Government by diktat might make the next 10 days while the Prime Minister is travelling first class around Europe and Asia relatively interesting.”

ENDS

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