Aussie dollar hits parity with $US

Travellers heading to the US have expressed mixed feelings about the Australian
dollar reaching parity with the greenback.
For the first time since being floated in December 1983, the Australian dollar
traded for one US dollar at 11.18pm (AEDT) on Friday.
Travellers at Sydney International Airport, who were heading on holidays on Saturday
afternoon and those returning home to the US, expressed their surprise, delight and
indifference to AAP.
Friends Helen Foulis and Debra Thorsen - who were flying to San Francisco, Las Vegas
and New York for a two-week break - said the strong Aussie dollar was encouraging
for their shopping trips.
"The shopping trips are going to be mega," Ms Foulis said.
"Same for me, I'm going shopping for clothes, shoes, jeans," Ms Thorsen said.
Christine Chong, who planned to visit friends and family in Los Angles, said the
historic parity didn't make much of a different to her.
"If you're going to travel, you'll travel," she said.
"I dont spend much anyway so it doesn't make a difference."
American business traveller Chris Phipps said the two currencies had been close for
a long time.
"Being parity is like being at home and I'm going to spend the normal way," he said.
The Aussie currency has not traded at the one US dollar mark since July 28, 1982.