1.   Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, said that under a variable loan rate, students would have seen their education costs rise by thousands of dollars.

2.   Variable home loan rates are usually only adjusted when the Reserve Bank of Australia adjusts official interest rates.

3.   During her time in school, interest rates on the variable loans have shot up, she told the president.

4.   Treasurer Peter Costello said he expected all major lending banks to cut their standard variable home loan rates in the wake of the cut in official rates.

5.   Treasurer Peter Costello said he expected all major lending banks to cut their standard variable home loan rates after the cut in official rates.