Australia’s central bank yesterday lifted its benchmark interest rate for a third time in three straight months, changing the cash rate to 1.35 percent from 0.85 percent. The Reserve Bank of Australia’s (RBA) half a percentage point rise was the same size as its increase last month. When the bank lifted the rate by a quarter percentage point at its monthly board meeting in May, it was its first rate hike in more than 11 years. RBA Governor Philip Lowe yesterday said that inflation in Australia was high, although not as high as it is in many other countries. “Global factors account for much