Australian Prime Minister John Howard, fearing a crushing defeat at the November election, promised A$34 billion in tax cuts on Monday.
The largesse will be delivered on the back of stronger than expected economic growth, which will bring the government a budget windfall of A$12.5 billion over the next four years.
With polls pointing to an opposition Labor landslide, Howard's deputy, Treasurer Peter Costello, said the conservative government would deliver tax cuts worth A$20 a week to ordinary wage earners from July 2008, rising to A$35 a week by 2010.
"This plan is all about further building and growing the Australian economy, it's about creating more not less jobs," Howard said in his first big campaign promise, warning the booming times would be at risk if Labor took office.
Costello predicted Australia's economy would grow by 4.25 percent in 2007/08, up from a previous estimate of 3.75 percent, but inflation would remain within the central bank's 2-3 percent target.
Opinion polls yesteray showed Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd's Labor party ahead of the conservative government by 56 to 44 percent.
Howard, 68, is fighting to overturn a mood among voters for change despite the country enjoying a 16-year expansion, unemployment at 33-year lows and previous tax cuts worth A$110 billion ($100 billion).
But Howard's pitch of continued prosperity and more jobs has been blunted by a string of interest rate hikes of 6.5 percent, hurting bedrock conservative support in mortgage-saddled suburbs.
Questions:
1. Ordinary wage earners in Australia will save how much in tax cuts from July next year?
2. Treasurer Peter Costello says the economy will grow by how much in 2007/2008?
3. How old is the Prime Minister of Australia?
Answers:
1. A$20 a week.
2. 4.25 percent.
3. 68.
（英語點津 Linda 編輯）
About the broadcaster:
Marc Checkley is a freelance journalist and media producer from Auckland, New Zealand. Marc has had an eclectic career in the media/arts, most recently working as a radio journalist for NewstalkZB, New Zealand’s leading news radio network, as a feature writer for Travel Inc, New Nutrition Business (UK) and contributor for Mana Magazine and the Sunday Star Times. Marc is also a passionate arts educator and is involved in various media/theatre projects in his native New Zealand and Singapore where he is currently based. Marc joins the China Daily with support from the Asia New Zealand Foundation.
