MELBOURNE (Standard & Poor's) April 20, 2004ù-Standard & Poor's Ratings Services said today that the Economic Statement brought down today by the government of the Australian state of Victoria is consistent with the state's 'AAA' rating, despite remaining uncertainty of the impact on the budget from some of the large projects announced. 'Although we will have to wait for the May 4 budget to see the full Victorian financial picture, the state's balance sheet has been in such a strong position, with very low debt, that the cost of the measures announced in the statement alone will not endanger the 'AAA' rating,' said Rick Shepherd, credit analyst in Standard & Poor's Sovereign & Public Finance Ratings Group. 'Nevertheless, the full
