The Australian dollar has started the new year firmer after hitting a post-float high in the early hours of 2011. At 1600 AEDT, the Australian dollar was at 102.09 US cents, up from Friday's local close of 101.64 US cents. The currency hit 102.53 US cents during New York trade on December 31 (January 1 AEDT), its highest level since the unit was floated in December 1983.

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