Domestic economic data in recent months have signalled a pick-up in the pace of growth in demand and activity. Capacity utilisation is high after a lengthy period of expansion, and unemployment over recent months has continued to decline. Business and household confidence are strong. The demand for finance has strengthened, even apart from the temporary surge in June, particularly in the business sector. These conditions have been accompanied recently by higher-than-expected underlying inflation.

I suppose if you squint and use "clever" eyes you could say the "demand for finance" part (buried within the other reasons, look hard) is "the States being in debt".

The Age, "Rates hit 11-year high:

The central bank opted to tighten the monetary screw despite a volatile share market and recent housing affordability woes. The hike means monthly repayments on a $200,000, 25-year loan will jump about $33 to $1586. A $400,000 loan for the same period will now carry an extra $66 a month in repayments, to a total of $3172.

Why do interest rates articles and banks always quote figures on a 25 year loan. It's exactly the quotes we received when organising our loan, and then when you sign up it's a 30 year loan. We had to make a big fuss to get it changed to a 25 year loan.