MELBOURNE (Standard&Poor's) Sept. 9, 2013--Standard&Poor's Ratings Services said today that its unsolicited ratings on the Commonwealth of Australia (AAA/Stable/A-1+) are not immediately affected by the change of government following the general election held on Sept. 7, 2013. The ratings on Australia reflect the country's significant fiscal and monetary flexibility, economic resilience, and public policy stability. After six years in opposition, the center-right Liberal–National Party coalition won the right to form government. We expect the new government to pursue a broadly similar fiscal strategy to the previous government, targeting narrowing budget deficits over time. In line with the coalition's pre-election announcements, we expect new spending measures--such as infrastructure projects and a new paid parental leave scheme--to be
