plate ▁driver ▁in ▁the ▁co ck pit ▁at ▁the ▁moment ". ▁August ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁saw , ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁time ▁during ▁an ▁election ▁campaign , ▁a ▁ 0 . 2 5 - point ▁interest - rate ▁rise ▁to ▁ 6 . 5 ▁per ▁cent ▁by ▁the ▁Reserve ▁Bank , ▁the ▁sixth ▁rise ▁since ▁the ▁last ▁election ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 4 . ▁Labor ▁used ▁the ▁news ▁to ▁argue ▁that ▁the ▁Co al ition ▁could ▁not ▁be ▁trust ed ▁to ▁keep ▁interest ▁rates ▁low , ▁while ▁Cost ello ▁argued ▁that ▁interest ▁rates ▁would ▁be ▁higher ▁under ▁Labor . ▁In ▁November ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁interest ▁rates ▁were ▁raised ▁for ▁the ▁sixth ▁time ▁since ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁election , ▁to ▁a ▁ 1 0 - year ▁high ▁of ▁ 6 . 7 5 ▁per ▁cent . ▁In ▁response ▁to ▁Labor ▁criticism ▁of ▁the ▁government ▁on ▁the ▁rate ▁r ises , ▁Howard ▁stated ▁in ▁August ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁"[ R ud d ] ▁can ▁sc our ▁every ▁trans cript , ▁and ▁I ▁will ▁make ▁them ▁available , ▁of ▁every ▁interview ▁that ▁I ▁gave ▁during ▁that ▁election ▁campaign ▁and ▁he ▁will ▁find ▁no ▁such ▁commit ment . ▁▁ ▁During ▁October ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁Im m igration ▁Minister ▁Kevin ▁Andrew s ' s ▁decision ▁to ▁cut ▁Australia ' s ▁refuge e ▁int ake ▁and ▁express ing ▁public ▁concern ▁about ▁Sud an ese ▁migr ants ▁was ▁brand ed ▁as ▁rac ist . ▁ ▁The ▁Queensland ▁Labor ▁Premier