▁Back ▁Bal ance , ▁a ▁reference ▁to ▁their ▁central ▁campaign ▁theme ▁of ▁prevent ing ▁the ▁government ▁from ▁reg aining ▁absolute ▁control ▁of ▁the ▁Senate . ▁ ▁The ▁Reserve ▁Bank ▁of ▁Australia ▁adjust ed ▁interest ▁rates ▁up wards ▁by ▁another ▁ 0 . 2 5 ▁per ▁cent , ▁the ▁sixth ▁rise ▁since ▁the ▁last ▁election , ▁to ▁a ▁ 1 0 - year ▁high ▁of ▁ 6 . 7 5 ▁per ▁cent , ▁and ▁the ▁first ▁time ▁the ▁Bank ▁had ▁been ▁changed ▁rates ▁during ▁an ▁election ▁campaign . ▁The ▁Co al ition ▁said ▁that ▁only ▁the ▁current ▁government ▁had ▁the ▁proper ▁experienced ▁team ▁to ▁manage ▁the ▁economy ▁in ▁future , ▁less ▁prosper ous ▁years . ▁Cost ello ▁argued ▁that ▁the ▁infl ation ary ▁reasons ▁for ▁the ▁rate ▁rise ▁were ▁" out side ▁the ▁control ▁of ▁a ▁Government ". ▁In ▁response , ▁Labor ▁accused ▁the ▁Co al ition ▁of ▁having ▁" h au led ▁up ▁the ▁white ▁flag ▁in ▁the ▁fight ▁against ▁infl ation ", ▁saying ▁that ▁they ▁had ▁back fli pped ▁from ▁their ▁past ▁statements ▁that ▁they ▁could ▁keep ▁interest ▁rates ▁low . ▁Howard ▁stated ▁that ▁he ▁was ▁sorry ▁for ▁the ▁negative ▁consequences ▁for ▁and ▁bur den ▁on ▁Australian ▁borrow ers , ▁but ▁subsequently ▁denied ▁that ▁this ▁constit uted ▁an ▁ap ology ▁for ▁the ▁rate ▁rise ▁itself . ▁ ▁On ▁ 7 ▁November , ▁Work place ▁Rel ations ▁Minister ▁Joe ▁Hockey ▁and ▁Labor ' s ▁Julia ▁Gill ard ▁deb ated ▁industrial ▁relations ▁including ▁Work Cho ices ▁at ▁the ▁National ▁Press ▁Club ▁in ▁Can ber