Howard says don't worry about 8 per cent mortgage rates

Prime Minister John Howard says the economy can handle another interst rate rise. Economists are unanimous in their view that the RBA will today decide to raise rates by 0.25 of a percentage point in an effort to keep a lid on inflation. Mr Howard says Australians should not be worried. "Once again, we've got to keep perspective," the prime minister told ABC radio. "Interest rates are still historically very low. They are much lower than they were previously."